Over the years, Vishnu Vishal has carved a niche in Tamil cinema with his thoughtful film choices and refusal to conform to formulas. From Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu and Mundasupatti to Ratsasan, the actor has steadily built a career rooted in content rather than convention. In recent times, his friendship with Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan has further deepened his belief in storytelling and self-discovery that continue to define his artistic path.
‘I start from scratch every time my film releases’
Opening up about why he feels like he’s constantly starting over, Vishnu said in a recent interview with Galatta, “I think there are two reasons for that. One is the delay that every time my films take to come to screens. By the time my films come out, 500 films have released in Tamil. The kind of success I see is not huge initially. My films become successful when they come to TV. So the audience’s memory is always two years behind by the time my films release.”The actor believes his choice of unconventional stories is another reason for this recurring challenge. “I have been doing different content from way back — films like Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu, Mundasupatti and Ratsasan. But when you do different cinema, the audience’s taste has to get adapted to that kind of storytelling,” he explained.
Balancing mass appeal with meaningful cinema
Vishnu also reflected on his experiments with commercial comedies before transitioning toward action. “For me, the start to the mass films was not action, but comedies. That’s why I tried Velainu Vandhutta Vellaikaaran, Katha Nayagan and Silukkuvarupatti Singam. From there, I wanted to transition into an action star. But only one film out of these three did really well. My hit ratio with content-oriented films is higher,” he said.He continued, “I love mass films and mass heroes. But the content I connect with and appreciate is different content. So I realized I should not miss my core. Now I’m trying to bring my core — different ideas — and blend them with commercial elements. I’m an MBA graduate, so I analyze these things.”
Aamir Khan’s advice changed his outlook
The actor spoke warmly about his “career-altering” friendship with Aamir Khan. “I have been close to Aamir sir for the last two and a half years. I asked him where he got the courage to do such different films. He said he believes in the story and the characters. I said I believe the same. That’s why I’m a huge Aamir Khan fan,” Vishnu shared.However, it was one powerful question from Aamir that changed his outlook. “He asked me, ‘Why can’t you be the first one, Vishnu?’ That question hit me really hard. He told me, ‘Why are you trying to follow what others have done? Analysis is good, but find your own path. He also told me to believe in myself so convincingly that the universe aligns with me. This is what I learned from Aamir sir,” Vishnu said. Directed by Praveen K, Aaryan is a serial killer mystery following a police officer investigating the death of a crime novelist who unveils a sinister game on live television before taking his own life. The film stars Vishnu Vishal alongside Selvaraghavan, Shraddha Srinath, and Manasa Chaudhary in pivotal roles.
