I begged the director for this role: Vijay Sethupathi

Arguably one of the most versatile actors in Indian Cinema, Vijay Sethupathi has impressed the audience with his choice of roles right from the beginning of his career. The adventurous actor finally got due credit as he bagged the Best Actor Award at the Indian Film Festival in Melbourne for his role as transgender Shilpa in Thiagarajan Kumararaja’s Super Deluxe.

Overwhelmed by the honour, Vijay Sethupathi thanks the director and adds that he practically begged for the role as he loved it so much during narration. He said, “This is the first time I am in Melbourne Australia and I am so happy to be getting an award for this film. I can’t thank my director and Mitu enough. I was begging for the role when the director narrated it to me. I had no idea how to even go about it but I was so interested by the part. I am the kind of actor who doesn’t do much homework. I don’t prepare much so I would go to the set and let spontaneity take over.”

Explaining how difficult it was for him to get into the skin of the character, he stated, “But my first shot took 50-60 takes because I couldn’t find that character in me. My EP bailed me out – she taught me how to stand like a woman, behave like a woman, get her mannerisms. The character of Shilpa has been a huge learning lesson for me.”