Many people including actors, directors and film critics have a question to ask Ravindra Vijay after the success of his recent Kannada film Tirtharupa Thandeveerige. Why did it take so long for him to act in a Kannada film, despite being fluent in the language and working in the film industry for 10 years?
His answer is without any frills. He had not got any good role till then Tirtharupa Thandeveerige. Having coffee and strolling in the park with film director Ramenahalli Jagannadh turned into a dream role.
“I felt at a loss for not being a part of a Kannada project after making my debut in cinema in 2016,” says Ravindra from Kempegowda International Airport en route to Hyderabad. “I’m so glad it happened Tirtharupa ThandeveerigeBecause there is depth in the character.”
From a first generation doctor in the family to a first generation actor, Ravindra’s career has undergone an interesting transformation. A boy from Bengaluru, he practiced medicine for a year before moving into theater and then eventually cinema. “The ultimate goal was theatre, not cinema, but somewhere along the way, cinema happened and I decided to give it a try.”
Ravindra’s character, Professor Shivshankar, in Tirtharupa Thandewarije, A father who disappears after a traumatic event is morally complex.
Ravindra says, he is not an ideal father. “He has flaws and is afraid of society. I think if the character had cried in the film, which he doesn’t till the end, the sadness would have been lessened. That seemed very interesting to me. I had to make sure I could balance the emotions on screen, without showing too much or too little.”
Ravindra attributes the film’s successful theatrical run to the story and word-of-mouth. “It was a refreshing concept. People identify with either the father, the mother, the hero, or the sister. The pain and redemption connected with the audience.”
Ravindra’s career started with a small role in a Tamil film. Irudhi sutra, This was followed by some roles in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. Playing the role of Muthu Pandian in Season 2 The Family Man 2 opened the doors to the Hindi film industry for Ravindra with roles in Sam Bahadur And young. “after The Family ManI was offered many police roles, which I eventually started turning down.
Ravindra Vijay in the Tamil film Raghu Thatha. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
with projects like worm cola, Mangalavaram, And valley in telugu and Raghu ThathaAnd kantha In Tamil, Ravindra got to play morally complex characters in all languages.
However, Ravindra finds labels like character artist restrictive. Labels would confuse me. I’m not particularly looking for morally complex roles, but I think all interesting characters have shades of gray. Discovering the nuances and slowly molding a character is what makes the journey with any project worthwhile.
Ravindra’s fluency in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English makes him a strong choice in many projects, especially with the current pan-India boom. “I don’t need to dub for any language as I can speak almost all the South Indian languages fluently. I don’t find the idea of pan-India projects new. It’s a growing space and it’s exciting to be a part of the fraternity now.”
Ravindra does not see any difference in terms of theatre, film or web series. “When I’m performing on stage, the audience is sitting 10 feet away from me. Voice modulation for theater and cinema, the big difference. Theater is ephemeral, that’s why it’s priceless and unique. Cinema is for eternity.”
Ravindra Vijay as Muthu Pandian The Family Man.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Long format storytelling is best suited for web series, says Ravindra. “I travel with the character. This gives me a chance to create the character on the go.”
after Tirtharupa ThandeveerigeHe says that he is ready to do more films in Kannada. “I am doing a Tamil film mother-in-law, Which is set in coastal Tamil Nadu, whose story revolves around boat racing.
Going forward, Ravindra wishes to work with interesting filmmakers, directors, cinematographers and screenwriters. “I don’t know what life has in store for me. “I just want to have fun.”
published – February 06, 2026 04:06 PM IST