Kerala Crime Files Season 2’s Arjun Radhakrishnan: Playing a positive lead role was a big relief

In the days since the release of Kerala Crime Files Season 2 on JioHotstar, actor Arjun Radhakrishnan has been receiving a lot of praise for his role as one of the lead investigators, SI Noble. The role was the actor’s first positive lead role in Malayalam, given that he’s better known for films like Kannur Squad, Identity and Ullozhukku. “Honestly, it was a big relief to play a positive play role after back-to-back negative characters or those with grey shades. I was quite happy,” said Arjun in a recent conversation with Club FM.

Arjun Radhakrishnan: I am not against characters with negative shades

The actor is quick to add, though, that he’s not against characters with negative shades. “After Kannur Squad and Identity, I got a lot of calls for similar roles, but then you always feel that when you have done a particular role a few times, the next time it comes to you, it should have something fresh to it; if not in the character, at least in the story. Then it is okay to take it up,” says Arjun.

Check out: Kerala Crime Files 2 review: Ahammed Khabeer delivers a sequel that is a fitting testament to its genre 

The offer to be a part of the second season of the successful Malayalam web series came to Arjun shortly after the release of Kannur Squad, when director Ahammed Khabeer first called to congratulate him and then pitched the show.

“When Ahammed told me that he was doing the second season of Kerala Crime Files, I had to tell him that I had not seen the first season. I knew that the show was a successful venture and even though I had not seen it, being a part of it would be good. And then, when I read the script it was exciting because the material was very good,” says the actor, adding that Kerala Crime Files Season 2 was shot like a film in a start-to-finish schedule of about 55 days. “It didn’t really feel like a series shoot,” he adds.

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

Although season 2 has veterans like Indrans, Harishree Ashokan and Lal on board, Arjun only has scenes with the director-actor. “The average age on Ahammed’s team is 25-30 years, and Lal sir was the oldest on set. But he gelled well with everyone, which, I guess, is also because he was a part of the first season too. Initially, I was nervous, because of his legendary status, body of work, stature, etc., but then, when I met him, I realized he is most soft-spoken and gentle,” adds Arjun.