Key Points
- He plays one of three main villains in Antony Varghese-starrer Kattalan
- Casting director saw his web series 'Label' and messaged him on Instagram
- He initially learned he was not chosen but later got the role
Chennai, June 6. Actor Harishankar Narayanan, a well known sports analyst turned actor who has now made his debut in Malayalam cinema with 'Kattalan', has now disclosed to IANS how a selfie he had taken casually fetched him the impressive role in the film.
Harishankar, who was a sports analyst with the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians before turning an actor, plays one of the three main villains in the Antony Varghese-starrer Kattalan. The actor is a happy man today as his performance as Nelson in the film has now come in for appreciation from various quarters.
Talking to IANS, he remarks with a smile, "How I landed this role is interesting. The casting director of the film saw my web series 'Label' and sent me a message on Instagram informing me that he had referred my name to the makers of Kattalan for the role. I was excited and anxious at the same time as this film marks my Malayalam debut."
Stating that after a point, he left for Kerala to meet casting director Abu Valayamkulam in person to find out if he had been chosen for the role, Harishankar said, "When we met, the casting director told me that I had not been picked. I was nevertheless thankful he had suggested my name. So, before returning, for memory's sake, we decided to click a selfie together."
How a Selfie Landed Harishankar Narayanan the Villain Role in Kattalan
The actor continued, "The casting director kept this picture on his profile and the film's producer happened to see it and said that it was me they were looking to cast as Nelson and that is how I got this role."
For the unaware, Cube Entertainments, the production house producing the film, had at the time of casting, taken to its social media timelines to welcome the actor onboard the unit of the film. It had then said, "Welcoming the Allrounder @keeperharish to the World of 'KATTALAN'! Harishankar Narayanan is a versatile actor and Content Creator-cum-Sports Analyst known for films like 'RETRO' (2025) and the upcoming movie 'SIRAI' (2026) and gained recognition for his role in the viral Hotstar web series 'LABEL' (2023)."
For the unaware, producer Shareef Muhammed of Cubes Entertainments, best known for making the blockbuster 'Marco', produced 'Kattalan', a high-octane pan-Indian action thriller directed by Paul George.
Harishankar Narayanan on His Performance as Nelson in Kattalan
Actors Antony Varghese (Pepe) and actress Rajisha Vijayan played the lead in the film. Story for the film had been penned by Paul George, Joby Varghese and Jero Jacob. The film had music by Ajaneesh Loknath, the musical genius behind 'Kantara 2' and choreography by Sharief. Costumes for the film were by Dhanya Balakrishnan and cinematography was by Renadive. Editing for the film was by Shameer Muhammed.
Looking ahead: Harishankar Narayanan is expected to receive more film offers after his praised performance in Kattalan.
–IANS
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