Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

I have always admired Jagathy’s ability to acclimatise with any character he plays.

Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup

Thespian: Jagathy Sreekumar says he is looking forward to ‘Paradesi,’ directed by P.T. Kunhumohammed.

“But I don’t want to act in a language that is not familiar to me, as my voice will have to be dubbed by somebody else. I believe acting is complete only when you dub in your own voice.

“It is unfortunate that many of our women actors do not do the dubbing themselves. And often, the dubbing artistes who lend their voices to the actors go unnoticed. I feel when you give an award to an actor, a significant amount of the cash prize should be given to the dubbing artiste as well.

“The only non-Malayalam film I have done is ‘Aadum Koothu,’ which I did only because of its director, T.V. Chandran. I am happy doing Malayalam films only,” says Jagathy who has been an integral part of Malayalam cinema for well over two decades.

He has been there in most of the films made during that period, but he never ever has bored us. And he makes a character unforgettable even when he has just a scene or two. Like he did in ‘Ulladakkam,’ in which he played a man who hallucinates that he has swollen a horse.

When he is given bigger roles, he sets the screen on fire, as he has done in innumerable films.

“The way Jagathy showed ‘navarasam’ in ‘Udayananu Tharam’ was amazing. When he acts in a movie, he looks at it as a whole and makes his role jell with the movie. And he has his own way of interpreting a role. As he did in ‘Meesa Madhavan,’ which I had written,” says director and script-writer Ranjan Pramod.

Actor Jayaram admits he doesn’t know what to expect from Jagathy in a scene. “He surprises me even now. And he demands the best from his co-actors too.”

However it’s the sense of rhythm he shares with actor Mohanlal that has made the duo the favourite of audiences.

Says Jagathy: “When we do a scene together, we often improvise and there is a healthy competition. We had a great time doing films like ‘Kilukkam’ and ‘Yodha.’”

Mohanlal says there is a chemistry at work when he acts with Jagathy. “I could feel it again, when we shot for ‘Hallo.’ We get the timing perfect and there is spontaneity. It is like ‘give and take.’ I have always admired Jagathy’s ability to acclimatise, so effortlessly, with any character he plays.”

.

Jagathy, though, hasn’t acted in too many films written by Sreenivasan, whose pen has given birth to many classic comedies.

“Sreenivasan and Sathyan Anthikad had wanted me to do the role of the policeman in ‘Sandesham’ and I had agreed too. Unfortunately there were some problems with the dates(the role went to Mala Aravindan). I am glad, however, that I did ‘Udayananu Tharam.’” he says.

Among his forthcoming films, he is looking forward to ‘Paradesi’ directed by P.T. Kunhumohammed. “I am playing a 75-year-old man in it,” says Jagathy.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail