Actor Arun Vijay says that he agreed to star in Oh My Dog as it has an emotional script that carries a message for all parents. He says that he enjoyed working on the 2D Entertainment-backed drama as it gave him the opportunity to collaborate with his father, veteran actor Vijayakumar and son Arnav. He also praises director Sarov, describing him as a filmmaker with a clear vision.
Edited excerpts from the interview with DH:
What made you take up Oh My Dog?
I was drawn towards the script. It has been a long time since I came across something written specifically for kids. I liked the fact that the focus here is on the bond between a kid and a dog. There are several takeaways for parents from the movie.
How was the experience of working on the film?
It was a nice experience for me as I was working alongside my father and my son. I was really happy that Arnav got the chance to act alongside his grandfather, which isn't something everyone gets. It was a blessing for him. The challenging part was that we were shooting with a dog and several kids.
How is Sarov as a director?
Working with him was a really good and comfortable experience. He gave us a script where the emotions blended quite well with the story. There is a strong message here. He is very clear about what he wants. As actors, we were happy to fulfil what he wanted. Arnav enjoyed working with him. In fact, I didn't influence his performance at all. Everything was quite organic.
Any similarities between your real personality and your character?
That wasn't the case for me but this definitely applied to Arnav. His character in Oh My Dog is 75 per cent what he is like in real life. I could really connect with some of the scenes I had with him.
How was the experience of teaming up with Suriya and Jyothika's 2D Entertainment?
They are just wonderful producers who have always backed good content under their banner. We have known each other for a long time. I am really happy that Arnav is making his debut with them.
What type of roles do you enjoy more - realistic or larger-than-life?
As an actor, my idea is to take up roles that challenge me as a performer. There should be something special in the script. In this case, the challenging part was that I had never done this genre and had to underplay things.