Actor Karthikeya Gummakonda, making his Tamil debut with Ajith-starrer ‘Valimai’, on playing an unpredictable antagonist

When actor Kartikeya Gummakonda discusses his new Tamil film Valimai, scheduled to release on February 24, he occasionally slips into Tamil, a language he learnt for the film. A tale of two antagonists Kartikeya watched director H Vinoth’s 2017 film Khakhee and recalls being blown away by the meticulous research and storytelling: “I was a struggling actor. “I had to look more toned, sport tattoos, hair colour and biker clothes… the physical transformation also helped me understand the psyche of my character.” Valimai’s filming schedule faced delays during the pandemic and all through it, Kartikeya had to stay fit: “No one knew when we would be back on the sets and when I would have to do shirtless scenes. So being extremely fit became my lifestyle.” He had discussions with Vinoth to understand his character’s motives and says he enjoyed exploring the character’s darker side: “There are limitations when I act as a hero. My part in Valimai has a certain unpredictability and that gave me the liberty to try something new.” Decoding Ajith Invariably, the conversation veers towards Ajith Kumar and Kartikeya says there are plenty of takeaways from Ajith’s approach to work and life: “Beyond box office success, Ajith sir wants a film to further the careers of everyone involved.