Chennai, Jan 5 (IANS): Actor Tarun Arora, who is making his Tamil debut as the antagonist in upcoming action-thriller "Kanithan", says the film has all the elements to appeal audiences across industries, and it also has the potential for a Bollywood remake.

"This project has a lot of potential. If it does well, it could easily be remade in Bollywood. This is a gripping thriller where the hero and the villain are involved in a cat-and-mouse game, and the outcome will be breathtaking," Tarun, who has also worked in films such as "Jab We Met" and "Hawas", told IANS.

Directed by T.N. Santhosh and also starring Atharvaa and Catherina Tresa, the film is produced by S. Thanu.

Tarun's character is quite different from how villains in southern cinema are usually portrayed.

"I play a stylish villain. Although there's some action, the hero and I are mostly involved in a battle of wits. It was a wonderful experience playing this character and I can't wait to know how the audience will receive it," he said.

He underwent a lot of physical transformation for the role.

"When I met the director, he looked at me and said, 'You look like a hero. You need to put on weight to look like a villain'. He told me I need to look like a man with two children. I had to look older than my usual self, so I started working out and even gained some weight," he said.

Having started his career in Bollywood, Tarun says he never aspired to work in the southern film industry. He says it was "destiny" that landed him the opportunity to work in "Kanithan".

"I never tried to market myself in the south. But when this project came my way and I heard its script, I decided I should do it," he said.

The actor, though a newcomer to the industry, has decent knowledge about Tamil, for he had studied in the city's Triveni Academy.

Tarun hasn't signed any new projects so far as he's very selective about the kind of films he wants to do.