Kalidas Jayaram and Dushara Vijayan have, in recent years, carved out a reputation for making choices that privilege impact over visibility. Whether in intimate, performance-driven projects or in large-scale star vehicles, both actors say they are drawn to characters that linger with audiences long after the credits roll. That instinct, they suggest, is what brought them into Dhanush's Raayan, a film that also features Aparna Balamurali, SJ Suryah, Selvaraghavan and Sundeep Kishan and is set for release on the 26th.
The two actors, who previously played a discordant duo in Pa Ranjith's Natchathiram Nagargiradhu, spoke with unusual candour about how they navigate an industry where the demands of stardom and the discipline of performance often pull in different directions. For Kalidas, that philosophy has been visible since his Malayalam debut Poomaram in 2018 and continued through his Tamil work, including Paava Kadhaigal in 2020. "I still follow that," he said with a grin, describing his preference for roles that make an impact based on instinct rather than external opinion. "No matter how many people sit to listen to the story or how many people say their opinions on the project, it's that feeling that works for me."
That gut-led approach, he said, is what guided him when Dhanush called to offer Raayan. "When Dhanush sir called me, I was excited but didn't think it was for Raayan, which was quite a surprise," Kalidas said. "When he narrated the script and asked if I could do this role, I was quite shocked because he's someone I have enjoyed watching on-screen." He revealed that he plays Dhanush's brother in the film, adding that Sundeep Kishan, Dushara, Dhanush and he are all part of the same family unit in the story. Beyond that, he declined to say more.
Dushara's entry into the project was equally unexpected. She said she received a call from Sreyas S, CEO of Dhanush's Wunderbar Films, informing her that Dhanush was making the film with Sun Pictures and wanted her for a role. "It felt like the universe was giving me some sort of sign," she said, while keeping details of her character under wraps.
The actor, who has moved between more experimental work and mainstream productions, said her choices are driven by the need for variety and memorability. "When the audiences come out of theatres, they should remember my character," she said. "And I am also ensuring that my choices are not monotonous, but versatile." That balancing act is increasingly visible in her upcoming slate, which places her alongside some of Indian cinema's most recognisable names, including Rajinikanth in Vettaiyan and Vikram in Veera Dheera Sooran, in addition to Raayan.
Kalidas, meanwhile, was blunt about the tension between artistic instinct and commercial positioning. Asked whether he is trying to balance the "conventional" route of a hero with his current character-led path, he replied, "Not really. I don't know how to go about the conventional route. Obviously, only that will hold you in the long run as a hero in the industry, especially from the business perspective, but I have yet to learn all that. For now, I am just feeding the actor in me."
He also brushed aside the idea that his father, veteran actor Jayaram, serves as a professional guide. "I don't ask him for guidance; for any parent, their son's movie will be the best. So they will say it's good even if it's bad!" he said, adding that he values the fact that he can discuss much more than cinema with his parents.
The conversation also underscored the scale of the company Dushara now finds herself in. Until recently, she said, her most experienced co-stars were Pasupathy and Anupama Kumar. Now, she is working in films that place her alongside Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Vikram, Dhanush, Fahadh Faasil, Prakash Raj, Jayaram, SJ Suryah and Suraj Venjaramoodu. The shift, while significant, appears to have only sharpened her focus on character-driven work.
What emerges from both actors' remarks is a portrait of two performers still defining themselves on their own terms. In an industry often shaped by visibility, box-office expectations and the pressure to become instantly recognisable, Kalidas and Dushara are betting on something more elusive: the afterlife of a role, the memory of a character, and the conviction that even a brief appearance can matter if it lands with force. With Raayan now arriving amid considerable curiosity, their comments suggest that for both actors, the real measure of success remains the same — whether the audience remembers what they felt when the lights came back on.