Teejay Arunasalam: Most of the dialogues in my first Malayalam film are in Tamil

Actor and singer Teejay Arunasalam of Asuran fame is all set to make his Malayalam film debut by playing the antagonist in Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Vilayath Buddha. The actor, who recently wrapped up shooting for his portions in the film, tells us, “After the lockdown, I got a call from Vilayath Buddha’s AD for the antagonist character. They approached me after seeing my performance in Asuran. I was very happy when I was told Prithviraj sir would be playing the protagonist.”
“I told them straight up that I don’t speak Malayalam. That’s when I was informed that my character, Maari, doesn’t speak much Malayalam. That made it easier for me. I have spoken a few Malayalam phrases here and there, but my dialogues were mostly in Tamil,” he adds.
Teejay refers to Prithviraj as a ‘gentleman’ and is full of praise for the Mozhi actor. “He is an extreme professional like Vijay sir. He is a director himself and therefore works for the technicians. During a stunt sequence, even when stunt choreographer Kalai Kingson master said OK for a take, Raju sir said, ‘Your name is going to be mentioned in the film. So, we will go for one more take if you want.’ Everybody was surprised by his response. I learnt so much about filmmaking from him, just like I did with Dhanush sir.”

Another forthcoming film he is a part of is Vijay’s Jana Nayagan. Even though he says he cannot divulge much about the film, he shares that his co-star Mamitha Baiju “is extremely talented”. “She works with the motivation of perfecting her performance and puts in the effort. Till now, I haven’t met a Malayalam actor who doesn’t know how to act,” he says.
Teejay is also excited about director Varsha Bharath’s Bad Girl, in which he plays a crucial role, winning the NETPAC Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. “After the trailer’s release, I spoke to Varsha. I’m very happy for her. I feel lucky to have been part of the film because I play a relatable character with strong emotions. Vetri Maaran sir’s daughter said that my role was her favourite,” he shares.
Touching upon the criticism directed towards the film post its trailer release, he says, “A film should be judged after it is seen. Bad Girl will speak for itself.”