He is one of the few South Indian actors to be part of Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana: Part 1 and Part 2, one of the most ambitious and biggest films ever made in Indian cinema.
Playing Vibhishana, Ravana's brother, Harish Uthaman sees the magnum opus as a potential turning point in his career, offering him a chance to break free from being typecast as a cop or antagonist.
In an exclusive chat with NDTV, the actor opens up about working with Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, Ramayana and more.
Ask him how he bagged the role of Vibhishana in the Nitesh Tiwari-directed and Namit Malhotra and Yash-produced Ramayana, and Harish narrates a very intriguing story.
"I wasn't asked to audition. Jay, an associate director of Nitesh Tiwari, called me and said they wanted me for a role. After I started shooting, I asked him how they had contacted me directly when casting teams usually approach me for auditions. He told me that Yash had recommended my name for the role of Vibhishana. I have never met or spoken to Yash in my life. There is a story that goes back to 2015. A Kannada film team had been following up with me for more than a month, but at that time, I wasn't comfortable doing a Kannada film since I didn't know the language. Later, I got to know that the film was associated with Yash. While shooting with Yash for Ramayana, I asked him about it, and he narrated how they had desperately tried to get me for the Kannada film. He told me they wanted me for an antagonist's role, but I had turned it down. Yash recommending me for the Ramayana role was a very kind thing to do, especially since we had never met, spoken or worked together before," says an elated Harish.
Working for the first time with the KGF star, whose company Monster Mind Creations is also a producer of Ramayana, was an unforgettable experience for the They Call Him Og actor. He recalls, "I shot the most with Yash. We often see people in films and videos and form an image of them, but when I met Yash, I felt he was one of the kindest people I had met.
It was wonderful to see him transform into Ravana. He comes in wearing casual clothes in the morning, gets ready and comes out with that magnificent beard. I told him I envied his beard because it looks so good and makes him look so manly. It was also great to watch Yash perform. Hindi isn't our mother tongue, but the way he prepares his lines and sets the mood before a scene is impressive. These are things I really appreciate about actors. I spent the most time with Yash, and we bonded over our lives and how we had each come to where we are today. Despite his stature, he puts in the preparation. It's similar to what I have observed with Ranbir Kapoor, who rehearses his lines and keeps practising."
But did Harish get goosebumps when he saw Yash transform into Ravana in his costume and full glory? "Before an actor even delivers a line, the audience sees the character on screen and experiences its aura and energy. Watching Yash transform from his casual clothes into Ravana is wonderful in itself. The way he delivers his dialogues also adds to the character. Ravana is such a strong character that I now feel I cannot imagine anybody else playing him. I feel this role was meant for Yash," he stresses.
Everyone knows the mythology of Ramayana and what transpires, but director Nitesh Tiwari's perspective and presentation is likely to be one-of-a-kind in contemporary Indian cinema. Ravana and Rama represent contrasting forces, often seen as good versus evil. How does Harish see that contrast, especially from Ravana's brother, Vibhishana's perspective? The actor reflects, "I look at Ravana's character differently, perhaps because I have three elder brothers myself. In the film, Ravana is Vibhishana's brother, and Vibhishana's predicament is about choosing between his brother and dharma. Until they come to Lanka, they've not experienced that world. When they arrive, everything is different, and Ravana has brought about this transformation. There is a sense of admiration for his brother and everything he has accomplished. That admiration and closeness don't disappear overnight. But when Ravana abducts Sita or seeks revenge on Rama for what happened to Surpanakha, Vibhishana finds himself torn between his brother and dharma. Eventually, he chooses dharma. It's not as simple as seeing Ravana as an enemy. Vibhishana can't completely give up on his brother, but he cannot support his actions either. He also has to think about the people."
As for now, Harish Uthaman is looking forward to the rest of the shoot of Part 2 of Ramayana and says that playing Vibhishana is a career-changing role for him as it's likely to open more doors for him in the Hindi film industry. And come November 5, when Ramayana Part 1 releases, the excited actor is going to be in theatres watching the film for the first time like the rest of the world.
