After his 2014 South debut playing the antagonist with Kaththi, actor Neil Nitin Mukesh is set to impress once again. In the forthcoming multilingual film, Sahoo, starring Prabhas, he will play the role of a baddie.
Admitting that giving the same level of performance in all the languages is physically and mentally taxing, the actor says, “It was tough and challenging, but my passion to tread a different path and explore new horizons has kept me going.”
Neil adds, “Although I have been playing antagonist roles in the South, the different shades and the preparation that is required for every role is unique. I like the process of learning and executing new things in South, which made me reinvent myself.”
Avering that it is Prabhas’ humility that makes him a superstar; Neil says, “He never takes his stardom too seriously.”
The David actor reveals what attracted him towards South was the storytelling as he says, “The stories are so phenomenal that it gives actors scope to be versatile. The scripts are universal too and bridge language barrier gaps.”
Having been to Hyderabad several times, Neil expresses the desire to find a new home in the city of pearls. “I should think of having a house here because I love the people, the culture and of course, the food. My dad binges on South Indian delicacies. And I have managed to explore the city.”
Neil has also turned a writer for his forthcoming suspense drama, Bypass Road, directed by his younger brother Naman Mukesh. Neil explains that it is always challenging to strike the right balance between writing and acting.
“Initially, I imagined and started living every character I wrote, but as I went on developing the script, I realised that I have to write the characters from a holistic perspective, and not rub my acting outlook on it. Writing gives me a high, but I believe it is the actor who can make the writing seamless,” he signs off.
