Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
A toast to humour
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
|
Jayaram is one of those rare actors, who has quite effectively managed a career in two different States.
|
I look for substance in my roles, not length.
Talented in more ways than one: Jayaram
It’s a joy to talk to Jayaram, an actor with no airs, no inhibitions. He has been straddling Tamil and Malayalam cinema with reasonable ease for quite a while now. Spontaneous humour is his hallmark — those who watched his recent talk sho
w on television will vouch for it. The man had viewers in stitches throughout.
In Tamil too Jayaram began as a hero — ‘Gokulam,’ Purusha Lakshanam,’ ‘Priyanka’ ‘Murai Maaman,’ ‘Julie Ganapati,’ ‘Thenali’… the list goes on. However, of late he has very astutely shifted to characters and cameos. Arguably, rarely has a Malayalam actor had such a steady innings in Tamil. “When I came into the industry 21 years ago Prabhu and Karthik were heroes here. Now there’s a whole crop of young actors and it is only natural that I move on to playing characters. I look for substance in my roles, not length,” he says.
Approach to life and work
While watching Jayaram meld profundity and levity with élan in ‘Pirivom Sandhipom,’ the viewer actually felt he could have been allotted more screen time in it! Such is the impact his presence in a film has. “Watch out! Next I have a solid role in Venkat Prabhu’s ‘Saroja.’ I play a police officer in it,” he smiles.
His recent Malayalam release, ‘Novel,’ with Sada as heroine was a dampener, yet at no point can you fault his performance. And the surprise is that the hero actually plays his age in the film! “I have no qualms about acting even as a 90-year old,” he laughs. And turning pensive for a moment adds: “Highs and lows are a part of life. Success will lose its value otherwise.” In Malayalam Jayaram has just completed ‘Parthan Kanda Paralokam,’ directed by Anil, with actors Mukesh and Jagathy completing the comic trio. He is now working in Akku Akbar’s ‘Verudhe Oru Bharya’ with Gopika as his pair.
Most of his directors seem to repeat him. “Yes. I’ve done 20 films each with Sathyan Anthikkad and Rajasenan, and 10 each with Anil and Kamal. But strangely I’ve not done a single film for good friend Fazil. ‘When I use Jayaram I must do justice to his potential,’ he keeps saying,” the actor reveals.
His activity is in two regions and languages where work cultures are very different from one another … Jayaram is at his diplomatic best when he fields the question: “Yeah! In Tamil, on the sets, 10 people are found at the hero’s beck and call. But in Kerala the atmosphere at the workplace is more simple and matter-of-fact. Otherwise it’s all the same.”
The actor enjoys doing comedy. “Hope I get more such roles in Tamil. It isn’t easy to make people laugh,” he avers. But humour seems to come easily to him. “That’s probably because I was on stage doing mono-acting and mimicry from the time I was in Class IV. Even at home I was a hit performer. If there was a get-together I would take-off. Showmanship began quite early in life and continued through college,” laughs Jayaram. The innumerable awards he has won on the way stand testimony to the imitating skills of the man. And not many know that Jayaram is also a seasoned chenda player! It was during his stint as a member of the Kalabhavan Mimicry Troupe that filmmaker Padmarajan spotted him. Jayaram hasn’t looked back since.
Influence and individuality
The Malayalam influence is noticeable in his Tamil. Still Jayaram dubs for himself and has managed to make audience accept it. Does the language pose a problem? “Not at all! My mom is from Kumbakonam while dad is from Palghat. As I’ve lived in Kerala throughout, I’m more fluent in Malayalam, and my Tamil pronunciation is different. Initially I told my Tamil directors that they could find somebody to dub for me. They insisted that my voice would give me individuality. I’m happy it has.”
With just one film (‘Ente Veedu Appoonteyum’) his son Kalidas won the National Award for Best Child Actor. Wife Parvathi, the well-known heroine, is now a homemaker. “At the moment it is only studies for my son and daughter. And Parvathi is a strict teacher. In the evenings when classes go on in full swing I’m completely ignored,” he laughs. Jayaram’s is one of the most aesthetically done up star homes in Chennai. “It’s Parvathi’s domain. I’m the laziest of actors who doesn’t lift a finger. She is my confidante. I tell her everything. Soon after this session I’ll call her up about the interview and when shooting outdoors I keep ringing her up at least 20 times a day,” says the smitten husband.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
