‘I broke three teeth, they chipped in and I blacked out’: Dhruv Vikram
Mari Selvaraj’s Bison Kaalamaadan starring Dhruv Vikram, Anupama Parameswaran, Rajisha Vijayan and Pasupathy is running successfully in theatres.
The sports drama, set against a rural backdrop, explores caste and class barriers as a young boy, Kittan (played by Dhruv), strives to reach the top rung in the sport of kabaddi.
Although not a biopic, the film is reportedly inspired by the life of popular kabaddi player Manathi Ganesan.
Dhruv, who has won wide praise for his performance, recalled the efforts that went into making Bison in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India. The young actor, son of Tamil superstar Chiyaan Vikram, said that working with an ace director like Mari Selvaraj was an enriching experience and that the role made him feel like a kabaddi player. “When I was on court with people, I didn’t think about acting. I knew how to move, how to talk. It just happened,” he told THRI.
While acting in Karthik Subbaraj’s Mahaan posed a psychological challenge—bearing the weight of acting alongside his father—Bison proved physically exhausting for Dhruv. Talking about the process of becoming Kittan on screen, the actor fondly described the days he spent in Tirunelveli training, living and hanging out with real kabaddi players, who eventually became his friends.
“During filming, I lost three teeth — they chipped, and I blacked out. It felt like a concussion,” Dhruv recounted, describing the physical toll of shooting a sports movie and the challenges actors face while pursuing their craft.
As revealed in the THRI interview, Dhruv holds Mari Selvaraj in high regard, calling him an absolute inspiration. “He puts in ten times more effort than anyone else, always on his feet day and night. He never stops until he achieves what he envisions,” the actor said of the filmmaker.
Bison has been garnering a great deal of critical acclaim and is performing well at the box office. The film also features soulful performances from Rajisha Vijayan, Anupama Parameswaran and Pasupathy. Fans and critics alike are watching eagerly as Dhruv continues an intriguing and promising journey in cinema.