Chennai, June 2 (IANS) Actor Adithya Menon, who has dubbed for the character Skeletor in the Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam versions of the eagerly awaited Hollywood film 'He-Man and the Masters of the Universe', has now said that playing the iconic villain from the immensely popular franchise was an absolute joyride for him.

For the unaware, 'He-Man and the Masters of the Universe' is set to release in India on June 5 this year.

Alongside its worldwide English release, the film will also hit theatres in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. While veteran actor Jaaved Jaaferi has lent his voice to the menacing Skeletor in Hindi, acclaimed actor Adithya Menon has now come on board to voice the iconic villain across all three South Indian language versions, bringing his trademark intensity and gravitas to the character.

"It is was an absolute reliving of nostalgia to voice act for Skeletor in the Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam versions of 'He-Man and the Masters of the Universe'. For many of us who grew up watching the franchise, Skeletor is one of the most iconic villains ever created. He is charismatic, dangerous, unpredictable, and unforgettable. In many ways, he was among the earliest pan-Indian villains for audiences of our generation, loved and feared across languages and cultures alike. So, getting to become his voice in three different languages has been an incredibly exciting experience for me," Adithya shared.

"What makes Skeletor so fascinating is the contrast within his personality. He is menacing and powerful, yet carries this wonderfully nonchalant and almost theatrical energy at the same time. As an actor, that gave me plenty of room to experiment, improvise, and explore different shades of the character. Every language brought with it a slightly different rhythm and flavour, which made the process even more creatively fulfilling," he added.

Adithya also praised Jared Leto's performance in the film. "Jared Leto has already done a phenomenal job in the original English version, and when it came to regional languages I had the pleasure of fine tuning Skelotor to fit into the flavors of each language. It pushed me to bring my own interpretation and individuality to the character while still respecting the essence of Skeletor that fans know and love," he said.

Adithya concluded by saying, "I have tried to give each version of Skeletor a distinct personality and texture, so audiences watching in Tamil, Telugu, or Malayalam each get a unique experience. I genuinely hope fans enjoy watching these versions as much as I enjoyed performing them. Playing Skeletor has truly been an absolute joyride for me."

Backed by Amazon MGM Studios and directed by Travis Knight, 'He-Man and The Masters of the Universe' stars Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam, Camila Mendes as Teela, and Jared Leto as Skeletor, with Man-At-Arms played by Idris Elba. The film also features Alison Brie, Morena Baccarin, and Kristen Wiig as the voice of Roboto. The film aims to bring one of pop culture’s most iconic fantasy worlds back to life for a new generation.

Sony Pictures Releasing International is to release 'He-Man and The Masters of the Universe' in theatres on June 5 in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.

--IANS

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