Exclusive! ‘Drishyam’ star Roshan Basheer: I get more attracted to cinema when I see the dedication of actors like Kamal Haasan, Mohanlal, Vijay

A million negative thoughts might flash through the mind of a movie viewer when he/she hears the name,

Varun Prabhakar

. The stone-hearted villain from ‘

Drishyam

’ has left an everlasting impression on movie buffs, but the

actor Roshan Basheer

who played Varun has nothing to do with the character’s traits in real life. As Roshan gave away an astounding performance in the Malayalam movie, he was offered to play the same character in its Tamil and Telugu remakes as well. Although Roshan Basheer went on to star alongside many superstars, he didn’t appear in any Malayalam films post ‘Drishyam’. Seven years after the release of the movie, a lot has changed about Roshan and we decided to catch up with the actor for a chat. In an exclusive interview with ETimes, Roshan Basheer shares his experience of working with blockbuster projects and also about his personal life.

Roshan Basheer was at his hometown Kozhikode when we connected with him over the phone. The notions one has after watching ‘Drishyam’ would soon vanish away, after talking with the charming young star. Wedding bells are ringing for the actor and he was pretty occupied with it when we spoke with him. “I am getting married next month!” Roshan Basheer said excitedly.

A conversation seems vain if not started off with the blockbuster movie ‘Drishyam’ that rocketed Roshan to fame. “People still recognize me as Varun. Although I have changed a lot from how I looked in the movie, people still identify me as the villain from ‘Drishyam’. Initially, I felt it a bit weird as the character was of a negative shade and it had a huge impact on the audience, but now that has become a routine (laughs). But it is also great to be known by a hit movie’s name,” the young actor said.

When asked if he has come across any incident where movie lovers took his villainous character a tad too seriously and made an aggressive move against him, Roshan Basheer gives a positive nod. “Yes, I had confronted a few incidents, during that time, when I stepped out. People used to ask me things like ‘how could I have done such a ruthless act’!” Roshan added.

Speaking about his experience working with superstars like Kamal Haasan, Mohanlal, and Vijay, the young actor adds, “They are so hardworking and dedicated to work. Imagine the time they stepped into cinema. There were very few media for publicity to earn popularity or people’s love, compared to our times. But they rose up and still stay relevant and give tough competition to their contemporaries. So, if they are still relevant and stars in today’s times, it’s only because of their perspective towards cinema and because of their grounded nature. They are still the same in terms of dedication, effort, and commitment. We youngsters should look up to them and learn to practice their determination. Even now, they arrive at least 10 minutes prior to their co-stars on the sets. I feel more attracted to cinema when I see the dedication of actors like Kamal Haasan, Mohanlal, Vijay. I have closely observed them and that’s what leads me forward and motivates me.”

Filmmaker Jeethu Joseph recently announced a sequel to ‘Drishyam’ and Roshan opened up that he is as excited as the audience is to know what the movie has in store for its admirers.

The actor looks nothing close to the physique he had during ‘Drishyam’. He has gone for a jaw-dropping makeover and transformed into a handsome hunk. “I had to work hard to transform into this avatar. Being fit is an important part of life and in showbiz, I think it’s more important. Also, as I am concentrating more on Tamil and Telugu movies, I must stay in shape. I am a morning person. So I usually spend over 1-2 hours on the workout,” Roshan Basheer said opening up about how he got into a chiseled look. The actor also shared his concern that the pandemic has affected his workout routine as gyms are continuing to remain closed.

Roshan Basheer is also going through a happy phase in his life as he is going to enter wedlock next month. “If the scenario doesn’t worsen further, I will be getting hitched to my love on the 5th of August. Farzana is my fiancee and she has just completed LLB. The proposal was purely arranged. Farzana is a relative of Mammootty. My sister knew her. I have also met her a couple of times earlier. Our families decided and later we fell in love! (chuckles),” Roshan added, exclusively revealing to us about finding his life partner.Roshan’s last outing was ‘Bairavaa’ alongside Vijay and the actor has two Telugu movies in his kitty. Roshan Basheer signs off on a positive note, adding that he wants to play versatile characters and explore the actor in him and is also waiting for the right role to re-enter Mollywood.