|
From across the border
 For Tamil film buffs, he’s the man who sported the bald look and played henchman to Mammootty in ‘Thalapathy’, the good cop with a mental problem in ‘Dhool’, and Arasu, the suave underworld don in the recent Deepavali release, ‘Thirumalai’. Roles so different, yet each played with élan. Manoj K. Jayan has finally arrived!
The popular actor of Malayalam films married to actress Urvashi has made a smooth transition from the Malayalam acting arena to Tamil. In a tete-a-tete, the actor speaks about his work and experiences.
On his background:
My father Jayan (Jay of the Jay-Vijayan duo) was a popular Carnatic musician and I seem to have inherited some of his talent in my genes! For, though I haven’t learnt Carnatic music, I can sing quite well, and have even sung for one of my Malayalam films.
On his entry into acting:
 I was interested in acting from an early age and when I completed my studies, I underwent a course in acting. It was there that I learnt the basics. The first time I put on make-up was in 1988 for the Malayalam tele-serial
‘Kulamagal’.
The serial got me my first film assignment, ‘Maamalakkapurathu’, directed by Anil. However, the film never got released. Then came films like ‘Perunthachan’ and ‘Sargam’. ‘Sargam’ was remade into Telugu as ‘Saregamalu’ where I got to re-enact the same role. Then followed films with eminent directors, films that helped me establish my credentials as an actor.
On the Malayalam films he’s acted in:
I’ve been working for about 12 years in the Malayalam field. ‘Sargam’ got me a state award. I got to work with directors like Hariharan (Parinayam), Bharathan (‘Chamayam’, ‘Vengalam’ and even his last film, ‘Churam’), Jairaj (‘Soppanam’ and my first film as a hero, ‘Kudumbasametham’) and three films scripted by M T Vasudevan
Nair.
 With Shaji Kailash I got to do ‘Asuravamsham’, the role of a rebel, which earned me the image of an action-hero. There was ‘Sallabham’ directed by Sunderdas, which was Manju Warier’s first film, which was a complete entertainer. I got to play Nandita Das’ lover in the national award-winning debut film of director V K Prakash,, ‘Punarathivaasam’. I got to do films that were classy, offbeat, action-oriented and sheer entertainers. No actor can aspire for more!
On his entry into Tamil films:
My first film was Maniratnam’s ‘Thalapathy’. The rushes of ‘Perunthachan’ was being screened at AVM and Maniratnam accompanied Santosh Sivan to see it. Fortunately, the scenes screened were mine. I was sporting a bald look for the film. Maniratnam like it and asked Santosh to contact me. When I got the message, I rang up Maniratnam. He called me over and I was signed up for
‘Thalapathy’.
On the long gap before re-entry into Tamil:
After ‘Thalapathy’, I became busy with Malayalam films. Nothing substantial was offered in Tamil. Then I got this call from producer A M Ratnam’s office. Director Dharani, who was making ‘Dhool’ for them, had seen me in ‘Asuravamsham’ and wanted me for a role in ‘Dhool’. The film was a success and my performance as a cop was appreciated.
 Meanwhile I did ‘Game’ with Kartik. Then followed ‘Thirumalai’ in which I played Arasu, the underworld don. Vijay is the hero. I’m now getting offers from Tamil and Telugu, but as of now I’m concentrating on Tamil.
On how he copes with Tamil:
I write my dialogue lines in Malayalam and memorise them. It’s only when they make some sudden changes that it confuses me a little! But now I’ve learnt to cope with that. In the Malayalam field, there is prompting, so no actor needs to memorise his lines. But I find it better in Tamil for one can get the correct emotion and timing here.
On his co-stars:
Vikram is pleasant to work with and very friendly. He congratulated me on my performance in ‘Sargam’ and I was touched. Vijay is a bit of a recluse and talks little, but very cooperative on the sets. Kartik is a very lively, jolly person. Ajit, with whom I’m doing ‘Jana’, has impeccable manners. Seeing me left alone at times, he would invite me to his caravan.
On the Tamil audience:
I find them very encouraging and supportive. Audiences elsewhere are at times insulting, but here I’m yet to get a bad feedback or be taunted.
 In my latest release ‘Thirumalai’, I happened to mention my mobile number in a scene. And since then my mobile has not stopped ringing!
On his spare-time activities:
I spend time with my family, my daughter Tejalakshmi. I listen to a lot of music too. At times, I sing!
On his future projects:
I’ve signed for three films in Tamil. There’s ‘Jana’ with Ajit, directed by Shaji Kailash. There is a prestigious project with some of the best talents of cinema involved. It’s titled ‘Sringara’. It’s a period film set in the 1920s, centered on the Devadasi system. I play one of the lead characters as a zamindar, and I get to wear a lot of ornaments and a royal gear. Aditi Rao, a popular dancer, plays the female lead. It has Thotta Tharani’s sets, Madhu Ambat’s camera and Lalgudi Jayaraman’s music. There’s ‘Nayudu’, a bi-lingual (Tamil-Telugu) where I play the anti-hero. I have two films in Malayalam. And then there’s the Telugu remake of ‘Dhool’ (‘Veede’) with Ravi Teja, where I play the same role I did in the Tamil version.
The Chennai-based actor recently launched his own website -
www.manojkjayan.com. “I’m trying to keep it updated and anyone who wants to know more about me, click on to my website,” says the actor.
Malini Mannath
Published on 13th Nov, 2003
|
