'I lost many films because of that reason, but that blockbuster Malayalam film turned out to be turning point in my career'

Actor Riyaz Khan revealed that there was once a misconception in South Indian cinema that bodybuilders cannot act. He shared that he had missed out on many roles due to his involvement in bodybuilding. Speaking in an interview with a YouTube channel, Riyaz Khan also opened up about the controversies surrounding the superhit movie 'Marco'.

"In Marco, I had a few combination scenes with Unni Mukundan. However, none of those scenes were there when the film was released in theatres. It was the director's decision to chop off those scenes, and I respect that. However, it’s natural to feel disappointed when you miss out on a big hit film. Anyone would feel that way. The producer has confirmed that I will be part of the second part of the film. If anyone purposely tries to block that opportunity, it won’t bother me," he said.

Riyaz Khan also discussed the challenges he faced in his film career due to bodybuilding. "I’ve been into bodybuilding for a long time. There was a mindset in South Indian cinema that people like me, who are fit, don’t know how to act. I wasn’t aware of this. Many people said I couldn't act in movies because of my physique. When scripts were discussed, my name was often rejected."

"Balettan, which starred Mohanlal, was my 70th film. That film was the turning point in my career. People in every language wanted to remake Balettan. However, there were no actors from other languages who suited the role. I acted in the Tamil and Telugu remakes of Balettan, and they cast me for my look," Riyaz Khan said.