Though he is known for his versatility and his baritone voice, as well as his singing prowess, Vasishta Simha has mostly appeared as an antagonist, or in character roles, in films. That is set to change now. His upcoming film, India vs England, showcases him as a full-fledged hero, and once again puts him at test.
“When you enter as an actor, it is always exciting, but when projected as a hero, the feeling is different,” Vasishta admits, saying that’s he is currently going through a certain kind of anxiousness.
“How will people accept me and what they expect from me is a thought that’s running constantly in my mind at present,” he adds.
Citing examples of actors who started as villains and transformed themselves as heroes, which is rarely seen today, he says, “Back then, we had actors like Ambareesh and Rajinikanth, who initially started as villains and then turned heroes. They are the best examples of an actor’s life. It made me realise that this transition is not wrong. But then, the timeline is very different. Now, cinema is a different scenario, and there is a lot of competition. Today, I am really not keen on the result. But at the same time, I don’t like to hear this sentence, “Avane eno maadkondeddnalla, evalla bekitha (he was doing something, did he need this now)? As an actor, I am confident that people do have a good opinion about my character portrayal. However, on the whole, when it comes to cinema, you are shouldering a bigger responsibility, and I am keen to know from that perspective.”
Vasishta recalls the day Mestru (Nagathihalli) approached him. “I get a call from an unknown number, and the caller introduced himself as ‘Geleya, Naanu Nagathihalli’, before enquiring about my films, and mentioning that I should be working in his directorial. Without a thought, I replied with a question, ‘For which character, Mestru,’ and he said, ‘Hero’.
Right at that moment, I asked him whether he had dialled the wrong number. I would have been okay if anybody else had popped this question. But coming from Nagathihalli Sir, it was quite surprising. Especially, if we look back at the heroes he has cast in his previous films, they all look so tender and fair. But he stressed that he needed an unconventional-looking actor, and also break the myth about the NRI looks, and he thought I fit the fill. I came on board after just a few rounds of discussions,” he says.
The transition towards turning a hero in India vs England made the actor go through a lot of changes. “I got just 15 days between completing the shoot for Kavacha and joining the sets of Nagathihalli’s film. In a fortnight, I reduced the 7kg that I had gained for my previous film. This apart, I got a total makeover, including the hairstyle,” reveals Vasishta, adding that the kind of costumes he has worn in this film is something he has never done earlier. “Thanks to designer Pavithra Kumar for making me look good,” he says. Vasishta was in love with the hairdo he sported in the film. “Since childhood, I have loved having straight hair, and it’s something I tried out during college days. The keratin treatment turned out well, so much so that for 20-25 days, each time I saw a mirror, in cars and other places, I checked myself out. I would keep stroking it with my hand,” he chuckles.
Giving a sneak peek to India vs England, Vasishta says, “Everybody who watches this movie is sure to dig into history. According to me, a person without a sense of history, who has no knowledge about family roots, native place, the state, country, and world, is not human, and this is brought out in India vs England. The film also discusses NRI lifestyle and activities,” reveals the actor, who feels that the character of a blogger that he plays draws from Nagathihalli’s personality, since Mestru has been doing it for a long time.
Talking about his experience of working with Nagathihalli, Vasishta says although the former has been a director since before he was born, he never came across as commanding. “He gave a lot of freedom to the artistes. He came across to me as a thorough workaholic. The depth of knowledge that he has about our state is amazing,” he says.
The actor has a series of films coming up next, which star him in solo lead, or as part of the ensemble cast. So does it mean an end to his character or negative roles?
“Actually, people never treated me as a ‘villain’. I think the last time we saw a proper villain on screen was Ravi Shankar. Of course, it was a conscious call to become a villain, which was a role I always loved and which is something I had taken up when I did theatre. However, my role in Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu changed the perspective, and people started calling me ‘the villain with the chocolate look’. They have been giving me the same love that they have showered on other heroes. I have got the opportunity to play the lead now, but I will still love to do negative roles, provided there is some substance in the grey shade. According to me, nobody is a born hero or a villain. It is all about the director’s call, and we will have to go by the kind of character that has been sketched for you,” he explains.