'Felt like stampede...' 'Brinda' actor Ravindra Vijay relives climax of OTT series

Director Suraj Manoj Vangala’s latest series, ‘Brinda, has garnered positive reviews upon its premiere on Friday. The Sony LIV Originals series boasts an impressive cast led by the talented Trisha Krishnan in the titular role alongside actor Ravindra Vijay, who delivers a standout performance in a pivotal role.

In a candid conversation with Mathrubhumi English, Vijay opened up on what drew him to the project, despite initially hesitating due to concerts about being typecast as a cop, a character troupe he has played before. Read excerpts.

What factors contributed to your decision to play Sarathi in 'Brinda'?

Ravindra Vijay: The role was offered to me by the director. When I went through the script, I found it to be a layered one. I could see that a lot of work was gone into it in ideating it. The character’s depth is what really attracted me. People have stereotyped me, asking me to play cop roles. I was in two minds (for playing Sarathi) but once I finished reading the script, I was convinced that I really wanted to do it.

Are there any special scenes or moments from 'Brinda' that hold a special significance for you?

Ravindra Vijay: The climax portion where people congregate at the temple was shot with a bustling crowd of 500 to 1,000 people. It was shot over a period of two to three days. At some point, it felt like a stampede situation since the crowd was so excited. It was pretty exciting how we, as actors, choreographed the scene. The scale and intensity of the scene lingers on even today.

Another moment that stood out for me from the shooting was this intimate dinner scene between Brinda, Sarathi, and Sarathi's wife. It's a lighter scene where you see how Brinda is breaking and warming up to another person.

How do you think Indian psycho-crime thrillers like 'Brinda' measure up to their international counterparts in terms of content?

Ravindra Vijay: With the advent of the OTT, things are back to the drawing room where writers are again becoming the primary factors. These multiple OTT platforms have started promoting better writing, which has definitely helped the cause. I have definitely seen more improvement in Indian content in the last five years. The quality of writing has improved; it doesn’t only meet the needs and requirements of our domestic market, but also the international circuit.

At one point, the language is so good that it starts breaking the language barriers. Similarly, the boom in the OTT space is also leading to a lot of collaborative work among actors and directors from different regional industries.

How does working in different languages help actors develop their craft?

Ravindra Vijay: I have a body of work in Hindi. In the last few years, I have predominantly worked in Telugu, and have also significantly worked on Tamil projects. I have been working in different languages, and I have seen that it always pays off. When you work in different languages, there is a diversity of roles, an attempted recognition with different kinds of audiences, and you get to try different content. 

A new language is always a challenge and such challenges are good for actors. While working in different languages, the nuances need to be captured right which I find very exciting.

As a much-loved cast member of Family Man S02, do you have a message for the cast and crew of S03?

Ravindra Vijay: I am very excited for the third season, especially since I think that my director-friend Suman Kumar might be directing a few episodes of the new season. I also miss Tiwari (Manoj Bajpayee) and JK (Sharib Hashmi), and also all the fun and banter we had at the sets of Family Man S02. All I have to say to the team is: 'Waiting for you guys to see in S03.'