Valimai actor Kartikeya: I have learned so many things from Ajith sir

Ahead of the film’s theatrical release, Kartikeya interacted with the media in Hyderabad. Here are excerpts from the conversation:

How did you land Valimai?

Around October 2019, I got a call from director H Vinoth about Valimai. Since I watched his Khaidi, I was excited to talk to him. So, in that conversation, he shared details about the villain role and the movie. He told me that they were looking for a guy who has a hero image with a strong physical appearance. Vinoth added that he felt I was the right person for the role after watching my RX100. I also showed my interest in the project, but I wanted to know more about my role.

My character in Valimai has more shades and scope than my villain role in Gang Leader. Moreover, it’s opposite Ajith sir, and it will help me strengthen my foothold in the Tamil market.

Tell us about working with Ajith in Valimai.

I have learned so many things from Ajith sir. During the shoot, once, he was injured in a bike stunt. But he didn’t speak about it and continued shooting for the sake of dates and production costs. For an actor like me, it’s an inspiration and a lesson on how an actor should be professional.

How did you prepare for your role in Valimai?

I practiced bike racing for a few days when I went to Chennai for the photoshoot of the movie. And with that session, I also felt comfortable and confident about riding the race bikes. It was challenging to match the bike racing skills of Ajith sir during the shooting. He also supported me a lot while shooting the bike chasing scenes.

What is the meaning of Valimai?

Valimai is a Tamil word. Valimai means mental strength. Logically, the Telugu version should have a Telugu title. But even before the announcement about its Telugu release, the word Valimai became so popular. The Telugu audience also connected with the title, even though they were not aware of the meaning.

How comfortable are you playing villainous roles?

Hero roles will have a few limitations while performing. But when portraying villains, we can enjoy it while doing it. When you are playing a hero, there will be this pressure on you in terms of promotions and marketing the product. But when you play the antagonist, the pressure will be a little less.

Valimai is your first movie which will hit screens across India.

It’s a blessing for sure. Because when I signed up for this project, I didn’t expect this much. I believed that the film will only release in Tamil. The hype is real. Considering the trend of films releasing at the pan-India level, I am confident that Valimai will get me recognition in the Hindi and Kannada markets.

Tell us why we should watch Valimai.

It’s a universal subject. When there is a problem, the protagonist approaches it one way, while the antagonist looks at it in another way. Both believe in their ideologies, and the film showcases the conflict between their ideologies. Apart from that, action sequences in the movie are great and fresh.

Tell us about your upcoming projects.

I am doing a film with UV Creations. I also have two projects with Loukya Entertainments and Sridevi Movies. Apart from these, discussions are going on for a Telugu-Tamil bilingual project with RX100 director Ajay Bhupathi.