Kerala Crime Files S2 actor Arjun Radhakrishnan on playing his first lead role: 'There's a definite arc'

Right from his debut role in Malayalam as Collector Ajay Sripad Dange in Kamal KM’s Pada, actor Arjun Radhakrishnan has been making a strong case for himself as a standout performer. His latest as SI Noble in Ahammed Khabeer’s web series, Kerala Crime Files Season 2, is a breakthrough performance for the actor, who has already starred in movies such as Ullozhukku and Kannur Squad in the past three years.

In a quick chat with OTTplay after the release of the JioHotstar web series, Arjun talks about essaying his first lead actor, why he doesn’t worry too much about the arcs of his characters and his evolution as an actor.

You have done five films in Malayalam already including noted roles in Kannur Squad, Ullozhukku and Pada. But you seemed to be the most comfortable essaying the role of Noble in Kerala Crime Files Season 2, Was that the case?

I think it’s probably because it’s the first time I got to do a full-length role. I was there from the beginning till the end and that helped. When you play the lead, there’s a definite arc to that character and I am guessing that would have lent to that feeling. Also, the writing has got a lot to do with what you see onscreen. Actors are so dependent on writers - which has always been the case.

From the first episode of the series, where Noble is berated by his superior to the final one, where he exudes a confidence that comes from cracking the case, your body language was on point. As an actor, do you feel you have evolved your craft with each Malayalam movie?

Because of the kind of actor that I am, I am still extremely dependent on what’s written for my character. I know everybody does a lot of preparations, in terms of body language. But for me, it just comes through because of what the director and writer are feeding me, in terms of the character, before the shoot. It’s a very internal thing.

In the case of Noble, (scriptwriter) Bahul Ramesh and (director) Ahammed Khabeer told me, ‘When you wear the uniform, there’s always a tendency to emulate a particular body language. But we don’t want that’. So, then I just focused on whatever the emotions were required for the character. As an actor too, at least till now, I have loved the internal work to dictate the body language.

There’s a certain groundedness to the characters that you have played, except for maybe the one in Identity earlier this year. But be it your character in Jhund, Ullozhukku or even Rocket Boys, where there was a flair that came from essaying APJ Abdul Kalam, the portrayals were organic. Does that also give you the freedom that these characters are human and you are allowed to present them with imperfections?

I am very dependent on the directors of my films. I don’t know if my portrayal of Noble would be the same for a commercial film because the director’s brief would be different. The internal workings of the character and everything would be the same but there would be a difference in terms of how it’s pitched.

Also read: Of Cops, Canines & Conscience: Kerala Crime Files Returns With Quiet Force In Season 2 

That said, Kannur Squad was a proper commercial film and its director Roby (Varghese Raj) was aware of the kind of person I am. He told me not to get scared or worried about the scale of the film. ‘Because it’s a commercial film, you don’t have to ensure that the performance is louder than usual. Just do it the best you can and I will try and fix that meter for you,’ he said. So, it entirely depends on what the director wants from you.

Now that you bring up Roby. Both he and Bahul are cinematographer, visual people, who have turned director and scriptwriter, with Kannur Squad and Kerala Crime Files Season 2. In that sense, is there a big difference in terms of their approach?

The whole cinematographer-writer thing with Bahul is something new. But I feel there is a difference between a director working on someone else’s material than a filmmaker who is writing and directing his own movie. Even in Ahammed’s interview, this was the first time that he was directing someone else’s material. I had also worked with Christo (Tomy), who directed and wrote Ullozhukku. The difference I have noticed is in the control. Someone who is solely a director, obviously, comes with a sense of objectivity.

Web series as a format is still relatively new for Malayalam, even though this is the second season of Kerala Crime Files. But you have been part of Rocket Boys before. So, how easy is it for the makers as well as actors to exercise their control in terms of narrative and arc in this format?

Long back, someone told me never to worry about the arc while shooting a film, because that’s what the directors and writers are there for. So, I have never worried about that. I feel like everyone knows their job and they will do it. If we get into that, there are so many other aspects that you start dictating. Currently, I don’t have enough knowledge to do that; maybe after doing 30-40 films, I might be at that stage where I know about the things that happen outside the sphere of acting. Right now, I don’t want to get into that space. I feel if I give my best, the editor and director will do theirs. I always believe that the editors will always save your performance (laughs).

Also read: Director Ahammed Khabeer on the possibility of Kerala Crime Files 3 | Exclusive 

You have played a lead in a series now, what’s coming up next?

Right now, I am working in director Salim Ahamed sir’s next. I play the lead in that. It’s the first time I am playing a lead in a film. So, let’s see what each step unfolds.