Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
Gift of the gab
G. JAYAKUMAR
|
A Padmarajan protégé, Jayaram has seen many ups and downs in his career. The actor is, however, optimistic about his forthcoming films.
|
Musician too: Jayaram who is adept in playing the chenda has performed with chenda maestro Mattannoor Sankarankutty.
More than two hundred films in a career spanning over two decades… Yet Jayaram admits that he has erred in the selection of his films. An admission by an actor whose talent was spotted by none other than Padmarajan. “It was by chance t
hat I forayed into films. Padmarajan Sir was on the lookout for a new face. He happened to see me doing mimicry in a video cassette of a cultural show conducted by Cochin Kalabhavan in the Gulf. He asked my uncle, the late Malayattoor Ramakrishnan, about me. In no time I got a telegram asking me to meet him personally. Thinking it was all a joke, I didn’t pay heed to it. But later, on persuasion from my friends I got in touch with Padmarajan sir on the phone.
“He was angry. He told me that the first and foremost thing expected from an artiste is punctuality. Then I met him. There was an interview in which I was asked to enact various kinds of characters. He was satisfied. He asked me if I could swim. My reply was in the negative. He advised me to learn to swim and said that I was chosen for his second film too. That was ‘Moonampakkom,’” says Jayaram who made his debut in Padmarajan’s ‘Aparan.’
Another director with whom Jayaram had an excellent rapport with was Bharathan.
“Bharathettan was a very flexible, unassuming personality. He was interested in many things – music, festivals, elephants, birds, fishes, almost all objects in nature. Our families used to meet in the evenings. Sometimes, we used to visit the bird farms in Chennai.
“He was more like a friend. His untimely death was a great blow to me. He had planned to do a film on Kunjan Nambiar with me in the lead role. The script was ready. Even the illustrations showed me playing the mizhavu. But, death snatched him away,” Jayaram recalls. Having done several hit films, why are most of his new movies not doing well?
“See, those were great directors. I can rightfully say that it was Padmarajan Sir who shaped my career in films. There were others too – Sathyan Anthikad, Kamal, Rajasenan. But it is my poor selection of films that has cost me dear. That will not happen again,” says this alumnus of Kalabhavan.
Alumnus of Kalabhavan
“I was in Kalabhavan in 1984. My mimicry skills were honed there. But I did not come directly into tinsel world after Kalabhavan. I did many jobs. For some time I worked as divisional manager for Henkel, a German company. Although I was a commerce graduate, I got along well with senior managers at Cochin Refineries, FACT, TCL and other companies. My knowledge of ‘technical language’ was minimal and yet I could outwit the lot with my gift of the gab. And it is this gift that has stood me in good stead.”
Jayaram is also adept at playing the chenda. He has teamed with chenda maestro Mattannoor Sankarankutty for many programmes.
“Music has always been a passion for me. Be it instrumental or vocal. I used to be a regular at Dasettan’s [K.J.Yesudas] ganamelas. During the recess, I would perform mimicry or sometimes play the percussion instruments. And, now, when I act on screen, he sings for me. ”
Future
“It is totally unpredictable with the Malayali viewers. It is very difficult to gauge their interests. But I feel the days of ‘husband-wife-thali’ type of stories and melodramatic situations will not succeed again. So, I have decided to do entertainers in future. Right now in the pipeline are Shaji-Jackson’s ‘Salaam Kochi,’ a Babu Cherthala comedy flick and a Sathyan Anthikad movie.”
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
