Filmmaker Mari Selvaraj is gearing up for the release of his fifth feature film, Bison. The sports drama, starring Dhruv Vikram in the lead role, follows a gifted kabaddi player striving to overcome caste-based oppression affecting him and his community in a village. In a recent interview, Mari discussed his decision to cast an urban actor like Dhruv Vikram in a village-based story, his upcoming project with Dhanush, and more. Speaking about his leading man Dhruv, Mari told Galatta Plus, “Dhruv has been waiting for me to do this film for 2-3 years now. I wanted everyone involved in this film to have a platform to deliver their talent at the highest possible level. The pressure on me is that Dhruv should succeed through this film. Dhruv’s efforts for this movie are huge. He has trusted me blindly in the process. In return for all that trust, I can only repay him if the film wins, and people should celebrate him. His hard work should be celebrated.” Mari Selvaraj noted that Dhruv Vikram’s real success will come when he breaks free from labels of privilege and earns trust through his own merit and authenticity. “A cinema would work for a hero only when that cinema starts to trust its hero. People might keep on reminding him that he is here just out of luck or because he is his star father’s son, but only when he breaks all those prejudices and biases will he be accepted and celebrated by all audiences alike.” Also Read | Bison trailer: Dhruv Vikram and Mari Selvaraj promise a politically charged sports drama During the interview, Mari defended casting Dhruv, a city-bred actor, in a village-based story. The director said, “When I used to tell people that Dhruv was in my mind to play the hero in Bison, they would go, ‘How will that work? Isn’t he too white?’ That’s the biased thinking in people’s heads in relation to colour. I asked them, ‘Why can’t there be white people in our villages?’ There are so many in Thirunelvelli. For me, if he doesn’t demonstrate the body language of someone who has worked hard on that soil, fought and survived in that place, you can ask me about why I cast him. That’s my responsibility. Once an artiste trusts me and my story completely, I am sure that they will take care of my film.” He added, “When it came to Dhruv, other than any other factor, the first thing that came to my mind was that the hero of this film should be someone with great physical strength. I wanted someone with that energy and zeal. Dhruv saw me as a teacher in the process of understanding the character, so the responsibility lies with me.” Also Read | Dhruv Vikram on his father Vikram’s legacy: ‘When he is doing so much for cinema, can’t I try a little harder? Mari Selvaraj also confirmed his long-rumored next film with Dhanush. “Next, I am going to do the film with Dhanush sir. I had narrated the story to him sometime back. I am someone who believes in a single line of story. I will take it forward based on the reactions I get from my hero to that one line.”
