IT was nearly seven years ago, in 2014, when James Devan Arokisamy made his debut in the Malaysian entertainment industry as a television host for a business magazine show called Siru Tholil Laabangal.
He did a fantastic job and was signed on for a second season the following year.
Over the years, he has also hosted the famous magazine TV show, 360 Degree, that covers diverse topics, and the popular cooking show Ammavin Samaiyal.
He has also tried his luck in acting. To date, he has appeared in at least 12 Tamil television dramas and series.
James, who turns 30 this year, recently spoke to theSun about his career in the entertainment industry.
What influenced you to become an entertainer?
I loved taking part in story-telling competitions in primary school. I also loved to imitate dialogues from films and entertain my friends and teachers. I believe that is where my love for entertaining people came from. My father was a singer, musician and an emcee. He played the drums and tabla. I think I inherited the love of the arts from him. Now, my father has retired. He is 62. But he has not stopped working. He is in the transport business now.
What projects are you currently working on?
Last year, I went to Dubai for 20 days to shoot a travelogue called From KL to Dubai. The show was aired on Jan 20. The 13-episode show explores Dubai inside-out. We did not just focus on the famous tourist spots in Dubai. For example, we have a segment where the audience (is shown) a specialised taxi service for female passengers, and the drivers are female. There is also a gold market in Dubai where you get gold from vending machines. I also drove a racing car in their Formula One circuit and experienced swimming with sharks.
What are your future plans?
So far, I have only acted in television dramas and series. I have never acted in any feature films for release in cinemas and I would like to do it this year. The other thing I would love to do is to get into the fashion industry. I want to create a fashion line where I focus on men’s attire. I want to focus on the kurta (Indian traditional wear). Usually, the kurta is used for traditional ceremonies like weddings. I want to make the kurta more fashionable and widen its appeal among non-Indians.
What is your best memory as an actor and TV host?
Last year, I acted in this TV series called Tamiletchumy. My character Jeeva loves his wife very much but he gets extremely jealous when anyone gets near her. The audience loved my character very much. They have even created a fan page for me. I have never received that kind of adulation before in my career. It is so surreal. The director for the series, Vimala Perumal, knows how to bring out the best performance in her cast. I am so glad the production team has decided to shoot the second season of the series. At the moment, I cannot reveal much about what my character will be going through for the new season.
Do you have any dream roles you would like to play?
I would like play a transgender character. Transgenders face so much discrimination in society. The worst part is some people like to make fun of them. Through my performance, I hope society will understand their emotions and struggles and show more empathy for them.
What are your leisure activities?
I love to go for long walks and long drives. I am also a tea addict. People hunt for places that serve the best food, but I hunt for places that serve the best tea. I also love interior decoration. Every few months, I will change the way my house looks.
