Narain set to be a star and not an actor

Anjaathe, directed by Mysskin, is undoubtedly one of the best films of 2008. Narain, who played a police officer in search of a serial killer, had everything in the film to please the audience: heroism, emotions and a realistic portrayal of a cop.

For Narain, Anjaathe could have been the stepping stone to becoming an action hero in mass commercials. But the actor preferred to sit at home for the next six months, going through nearly 200 scripts before he chose his next film!

All that he wanted was an image change! "I want to break my image as a serious actor and do a pucca commercial," says Narain, who has done as many as 10 realistic films in Malayalam and about 5 in Tamil. Interestingly, Narain portrayed fun-loving roles in many Malayalam movies like Achuvinte Amma and Minnaminnikoottam, but in Kollywood, he has done only serious and intense roles so far.

However, he feels the script of his next venture Pookada Ravi has a realistic touch, featuring him as a emotional, likeable, innocent and jovial flower vendor in Madurai. Due to certain circumstances, the vendor and his kid sister are forced to flee Madurai and come to Chennai, leading to a twist in the story. Narain is doing a love-based subject in Pookada Ravi by director Shiva Kumar, a former assistant of Selvaraghavan. The shoot is to start later this week.

Narain observes that Tamil audiences today appreciate realistic themes within the framework of the commercial format and many young directors are coming up with such scripts. However, he feels that being just an actor is not enough, star power is needed to lure the viewers. "I want to be recognized first as a star and then an actor," he observes.