Cruising ahead
SHOBA NAIR
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Manian Pillai Raju speaks on his role as producer.
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TURNING PRODUCER: Manian Pillai Raju.
Manian Pillai Raju is a successful comedian, an actor and producer, all rolled into one. Though busy in his role as producer, he appears in films such as `Rajamanikyam,' and `Chinthamani Kolacase.'
"Production is not new to me and my earliest ventures like, `Hello My dear Wrong Number,' `Anaswaram,' `Vellanakalude Nadu,' `Ai Auto,' `Kannazhuthi Pottum thottu' and so on had done well."
Laurels
But his recent venture `Anandabhadram' (in which he makes a brief appearance too) with Ajay Chandran Nair and Reghu Chandran Nair has won laurels.
"As soon as I read Sunil Paramaswaran's script, I was sure that this rare theme on transmigration would click."
And the film is now on a wining spree - eight Film Critics' Award, five State film awards, Vanitha award and the list goes on.
"Further, invitations are pouring in for `Anandabhadram' to participate in German, France, Los Angeles, New York, film festivals," claims Raju.
Explaining his role as a producer, Raju says that he does not merely sit back and finance the film.
"Film-making is a passion and I never get bored. With more than three decades in films, I am well-versed in all the areas of filmmaking. I move with the film-crew, as one among them, during dubbing, editing, shooting, recording, in short up to distribution and release.'
Raju's next production is a film with director Anwar Rasheed of `Rajamanikyam' fame, shot in Mattancherry, with Mohanlal in the lead.
"I have a good `raashi' with the latter, though I am doing a film with him after a gap of 16 years," says Raju. He intends it to be a Christmas release and is positive of its success. He says that it will be a film that will cater to all sections of the audience.
Yet, whatever the movie, he feels that a film sans superstars does not achieve the expected success rates. However, what irks him is the video piracy that is prevalent in Kerala.
"Sale of fake CDs and cassettes has become a flourishing business here, which greatly discourages filmmakers like us who take a lot of pains to release a film. In the bargain they are duping not only us but also the viewers who are deprived of watching the spectacular settings with the right effects in the theatre," he says.
Comic roles
Raju has acted in and produced serials for the mini-screen too.
A native of Thiruvananthapuram, his acting prowess, especially comic roles, had been applauded right from his school days at Model School, Thiruvanthapuram. While at Adyar Film Institute, in the early Seventies he made a brief appearance in Sree Kumaran Thampi's `Mohiniyattam,' and thereafter there was no looking back. He received an award in `Nokkethadoorathu,' but feels that he had better roles even before that.
Awards does not matter to him as, "even a great actor like Thilakan who deserves a National Award, has not received one."
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