The game has begun and the galleries are crowded, proving that it is a thriller. The discussion is not about any sport, but Tamil film Vilayattu Aarambam that hit the screens in Tamil Nadu this week earning good reviews. The film will be released in Kerala on Friday and the lead actors of the film - Tamil actor Yuvan and Riyaz Khan — were in Kochi to talk about their roles.
As the name suggests, the film is a game between the two actors and a case of one-upmanship between the two. The film is a high-voltage drama with thrilling moments.
Speaking about his role, Yuvan says, “It has a new concept and I play an IT professional who has enjoyed all the comforts of high salary. Then his world comes crashing down when he loses his job. The film looks at the social issue of youngsters rendered jobless suddenly and the way their life changes.” Incidentally, Yuvan has roots in Kerala. His father Feroze Khan being a native of Thalasserry, Yuvan often visits his relatives in Kerala and understands Malayalam.
Yuvan made his acting debut with the movie directed by his father. Did having a director dad make his Kollywood launch easy? He answers, “My father is my hero and debuting with someone I know very well and whom you grew up with was very comfortable for me as an actor. Basically, I am very shy, so with my father directing me, I could ask questions and clear any doubts I had. The experience I gleaned from there has helped me in all my later films.” Now seven-film-old, Yuvan’s recent film Ilami had him playing a young Jallikattu participant and the film looked at how the sport was an integral part of the state. The film got him rave reviews. Vilayattu Aarambam is Yuvan’s first film releasing in Kerala. He is a fan of Mammootty and Dulquer Salmaan.
Riyaz Khan has often played a baddie in most of his films, but this time, it is different, he reveals. Vilayattu Aarambam will see Riyaz play a police officer. He says, “I play a good character —someone who is loved by the denizens of Chennai. But somehow, I cannot get along with Yuvan’s character and we clash indulging in a battle of wits with no common meeting point. There is no hero or villain but there is a very relevant social message incorporated in the storyline though it does not come across as preachy.”
