Basil Joseph, Tovino Thomas, and Vineeth Sreenivasan are teaming up for the highly anticipated film 'Athiradi'. The multi-starrer, directed by debutant Arun Anirudhan, has generated significant buzz, especially after Basil Joseph's college boy look went viral on social media. In the film, Basil plays Sam Boy, a college student, with Riya Shibu as his female lead. Now, Basil has opened up about the intense physical transformation he underwent for the role.
Basil Joseph on His Transformation
During an interview with Cue Studio, the actor revealed that he lost 15 kilos to convincingly portray the younger character. He emphasized the importance of the role and the expectations surrounding the film. "After 'Maranamass', the next main lead release is 'Athiradi'. It has been almost a year since 'Maranamass' released last April. When I came into this film, I understood the impact of character work. I also decided to become one of the producers. As an actor, I have reached a stage where I cannot step back after films like 'Ponman' and 'Sookshmadarshini'. People have expectations, so I need to work harder. There is no space to move backward," Basil stated.
He acknowledged that portraying a believable college student at his age required more than just cosmetic changes. "When you say it is a college character, I am not of college-going age anymore. I have a wife and a child. Everyone knows that. There is no point in just coming clean-shaven and saying I am a college boy. Everything else can be achieved with money, but for the body, you have to put in the work yourself."
Strict Fitness Routine
Basil dedicated himself entirely to the project for several months, avoiding other acting commitments. "Other than investing a lot of time, there is no other option. For this film, I reached a phase where I wasn't doing anything else, including acting in other projects." He followed a demanding routine involving fasting and daily workouts for nearly ten months. "For nearly ten months, I followed fasting and daily workouts for one to two hours just for this film. I put in an extreme level of effort. When the trial look was locked and everyone said I looked like a college student, I felt very happy."
Transformation Boosted Confidence
The response to his transformed look gave Basil confidence. "It gave me confidence that all the hard work had achieved something. My pant size is now 28; earlier it was 34. Overall, I lost 15 kilos. My current weight is 60 kilos." He added that the film demanded a major portion of his personal life. "For this movie, I dedicated almost two years of my life completely."
'Athiradi' Release Date
According to IANS, 'Athiradi' has been cleared for screening with a runtime of 2 hours and 37 minutes. The makers confirmed that the film will hit theatres on May 14 this year. Shooting was completed in January, with Tovino Thomas sharing a video on X featuring the cast and crew forming the words "Pack Up." He wrote, "#Athiradi pack up!! See you in theatres!" The film marks the first on-screen collaboration between Basil Joseph, Tovino Thomas, and Vineeth Sreenivasan, generating strong excitement among fans.
