Nivin Pauly

I am happy being an actor. Donning the hat of a producer was a tough job and a different experience, as it involved watching the crew's requirements, keeping track of the finances, and also perfecting my role as an actor. But it was a tremendous learning experience.

Every aspect of filmmaking has lured me. Although I'm an actor now, one day, I'd like to direct a film. It's not as though I'm all set to take the plunge; I cherish this dream of calling the shots, but only after I groom myself with the right kind of preparation and the technical know-how.

The poor show of a film can be crucial in an actor's career. Maybe that is why some actors choose to act in a lot of films, so as not to be affected by a single hit or a flop.

I don't think I have reached that stage where I can evaluate my career. I still have a long way to go. All I wish for now is to make sensible moves and to choose wisely. It doesn't matter if there are gaps between films, as long as the ones I do give me the satisfaction of having done something good.

My wife knows that interacting with actresses is all part of the job, but there is a line which I'm not supposed to cross, and as long as I don't cross it, there are no problems. She doesn't bother with whatever I do onscreen. But the line is always there!

My aim is that each of my films should be on the top five or, at least, the top 10 lists of the year.

I simply love coming to Chennai. My wife always complains, saying, 'You literally run at the mention of Chennai - I wonder what it is about that place!' I love how everyone is active here 24/7. Even at 5 A.M., there are people going about their day. Also, I love how respectful and polite Chennaiites are.

You can obviously roam in public, but you can't do that with complete abandon. At the back of your mind, you are always worried if someone's watching you. But then, it's something that comes with the job profile. People approach you because they like you, and I don't see it as a hassle. It's a blessing.

When you are successful, there is this tendency to repeat the elements that we believe have worked in a certain film. Then it becomes formulaic, and there is no getting back.

I was working as a software engineer in Infosys. I quit because I lost interest in it. I had a group of friends who wanted to make it big in films, and that's when the audition for 'Malarvady Arts Club' happened. I got selected, and it opened the doors to my dream world.

I never think of myself as a big star. Getting good scripts is all I think about. I don't have a godfather or anyone to take care of me. To move forward, I have to be very careful in choosing the right scripts, the right director, and the right technicians.

I have been doing a lot of romantic movies, so such roles don't excite me much now. I would like to play an out-and-out, really cruel villain once. My character in 'Da Thadiya' had such a streak, but I want a full length villainous role. It is a different kind of excitement.