Arun Vijay says working on Sarov Shanmugham's Oh My Dog taught him the 'value of patience'

Serendipity is the one word that links all the people who are a part of Oh My Dog, the 2D Entertainment film that released on Amazon Prime on 21 April. Three members of one family who love dogs — Vijayakumar, his son Arun Vijay and grandson Arnav — play important roles, and it all began with an Instagram video that actor Suriya sent first-time director Sarov Shanmugham.

Sarov, who has always wanted to make a film for children, has been trying to strike out as a director for long. No producer was willing to back a story for children and no one was willing to give him even a decent budget. One day, he faintly remembered reading somewhere that actor-producer Suriya was keen to make films for children. “I waited for a long time, and then pitched the film to 2D in 2018. Things fell in place almost immediately,” says Sarov, who hails from Villupuram.  

The film is about an agility competition for kids and features a lot of children, sports and pets. The team worked with more than a hundred dogs, including native breeds and foreign breeds such as huskies.

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Sarov did wonder if Arun Vijay, who has made a name for himself as a good performer and who is also working in films across genres, would agree to be part of a children’s film. “He did, and getting all three generations of the family in my film was an added bonus. I did not even dream of that,” says Sarov.

For Arun, the biggest draw in Oh My Dog were the dogs. “I love animals and I love kids, and I’ve never really worked with them in a film before, so this was such a good opportunity,” says Arun, who adds that working on the film taught everyone the value of patience. “You can still instruct kids, but dogs dance to their own beat. You have to be patient to get them in that zone, and certain shots have to be candid. You cannot rush things and you have to be alert, yet patient. It was a great experience,” he says.  

Arun’s son Arnav loves dogs too and his character in the film is quite like what he is in real life, says Arun. “He’s a naughty kid and loves dogs and that’s all he had to do on screen too. And, I was surprised that he never looked at appa or me as his grandfather and father when it was time to act. He happily slid into the role of a co-actor. But then, even I’ve been like that when working with my father. Off sets, he’s appa, but on set, he’s a co-star. I’m happiest that appa and Arnav are sharing screen space.”

In fact, Vijayakumar was apparently more confident Arnav would pull off the character well. “They spend a lot of time together and my father just knew that he would be comfortable acting. As a father and actor, I kept my distance on set, because I did not want to influence my son in any way. I wanted his innocence to be captured. He still lisps, and I think that is a huge plus too for this character.”

Arnav says he had fun playing Arjun. “I also love dogs and enjoy playing with my friends, and I am also a little naughty,” he lisps via a voice note — he’s prepping for an exam. “I was very comfortable working with appa and thatha and they taught me some tricks of acting which were very helpful. But the best part about doing this movie is working with so many animals,” he smiles.

Arun has always embraced change. Even though he’s been known as a good performer who does dignity well on screen (remember Pandavar Bhoomi?), he finally found his calling in action thrillers. He was among the earliest to take on an antagonist’s role (Victor in Gautam Vasudev Menon’s Yennai Arindhaal, opposite Ajith) and ace it. “I’ve not fought my circumstances, but have embraced change. There were times when I had nothing in hand, but I knew that I still had it in me to do well. I knew it was a matter of one good script, one good decision. I decided I was not going to think the way everyone thought and to look at something different. I was reinventing myself and my script selection became better. Even with Victor, I knew I could play evil, I just needed a good director. My career has also taught me that the audience does not typecast. They accepted a Kuttram 23 after Yennai Arindhaal. They just need a good film.”  

This focus on the audience is something Arun Vijay swears by. Even Oh My Dog was his attempt to reach a section of the audience he has not catered to so far — kids, says the actor who is also doing an OTT series with Arivazhagan, his Borrder director. “I felt very comfortable with the team, and I trust Arivazhagan. OTT and films are a different ballgame, but I see that OTT is offering many performers a good chance to explore what they are capable of. You get the space to try different things.”

For Sarov, Oh My Dog was the culmination of a lifetime of idolising Walt Disney movies where a children’s film meant just that — something for children, starring children, and not something that sugarcoated an adult philosophy.  

“As a creator, I knew there is a big vacuum for this genre across India. The last big children’s film I remember is My Dear Kuttichaathan. I wanted to make a film rooted in India, speaking about our bonds and family structures, our street vendors, basically something with the fragrance of our lives. I wanted to make a film kids will enjoy, and I wanted to make it with good production values,” says Sarov.  

This film, in many ways, is the culmination of his dreams, and the beginning of his new journey. “I came to Chennai to study literature at Presidency, then I joined and discontinued a degree in law, I worked with filmmakers like Gandhi Krishna and Vasanthabalan and Suseendran before branching out on my own. I’m 46 now, and finally my dream is coming true.”

Sarov says he likes working with children and admires the dreamy nature of their world. “Yes, having a film screened in a theatre is a magical moment, but now, because of OTT this film is reaching the world. I am overwhelmed.”

Subha J Rao is a consultant writer and editor based out of Mangaluru, Karnataka. There, she keeps alive her love for cinema across languages. You can find her on Twitter @subhajrao.

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