Today, every film has the potential to be a pan-India project : Ganesh Venkatram

Actor Ganesh Venkatram is currently on a break between the schedules of his upcoming film Sabari, directed by Anil Katz. The film, which is a bilingual to be released in Tamil and Telugu, has Ganesh teaming up with Varalaxmi Sarathkumar for the first time.

"Sabari is a psychological thriller," begins Ganesh, in a chat with OTTplay. Though the actor remains tight-lipped about the details of the film, he shares that the first leg of the shoot is over. "Varalaxmi and I play husband and wife in the film, which is also a relationship drama. It might sound cliché, but this is a subject I haven't explored before. The portions are being canned at a rapid pace and we are expecting to wrap up the shoot at the earliest. It was exciting working with the team."

In the meantime, Ganesh also has in his kitty, Un Paarvaiyil, in which he will be seen with Parvati Nair. "The film is an adaptation of the Spanish horror thriller Julia's Eyes and is directed by ace cinematographer-turned-director Kabir Lal, who has worked in films like Taal, Pardes and Yaadein. I play a psychologist in the film and the character has many layers to it. The portions were canned in Dehradun, Uttarakhand," he says.

Ganesh is also part of the action entertainer Red Sandal, directed by Guru Ramanujam. "Inspired by a real-life incident, the film is an expose of a crime syndicate dealing with red sandalwood which also involved the killing of many workers. The film was shot in the dense forests of Talakona in Andhra Pradesh and it was an incredible experience working with the likes of Garuda Ram, MS Bhaskar sir, Vetri and Rama Chandra Raju."

Talking about how films made in the southern part of India are transcending boundaries, Ganesh says, "Today, every project has the potential to be a pan-India film. Look at Pushpa: The Rise. It was a Telugu film set in the backdrop of a forest in Andhra Pradesh. It told the story of the local people there. But it still appealed to the audience across the country. Be it K.G.F: Chapter 2, RRR or Pushpa: The Rise, they are all breaking barriers. The Malayalam film, Home, had a story that everyone could relate to. Even Minnal Murali, a superhero film, struck a chord across India. OTT platforms, too, are playing a crucial role in bringing quality content, and are providing the space for actors to experiment. For actors like me, who would love to work in different languages, this is definitely a great time to be in the industry."

The actor says that the pandemic has taught him many lessons, including not taking one's life for granted. "Today, we are in a position where we cannot think of the subject of wellness in isolation. We cannot afford to be self-centered. The pandemic has taken a toll on the mental and emotional well-being of people. I put on the hat of a motivational speaker during this period. Now, I have taken my lessons of positivity a notch higher by visiting educational institutions and interacting with students there. Most of our educational institutions prepare students for a career, but do not teach them certain important aspects like channeling their energy in the right direction, controlling their mind, anxiety, depression et al. I am trying to do my bit there," he says.