Dharmajan Bolgatty says his phone hasn’t stopped ringing post the release of Kattapanayile Ritwik Roshan. Industry biggies as well as media and film buffs: the accolades are pouring in from all quarters. Unsurprising, for Dharmajan has proved that he is at ease with character roles as much as he is with comedy. The mimicry artist-turned-actor talks about how nailed the character ‘Dasappan’, the protagonist’s Man Friday, and how he owes it all to director Nadir Shah.
A coup called casting
Dharmajan says the credit goes to director Nadir Shah. “If my work in the movie is worth mentioning, it is all due to the confidence Nadir Shah placed in me. He gave me the character because he trusted me. I had always wanted to play good and meaty roles and was confident that I could pull it off, but, after all, directors should feel the same, too. I am grateful to Nadir Shah for that,” says Dharmajan.
On playing Dasappan
He says that his character ‘Dasappan’ is a very relatable one. “In fact, I wished I had a friend like ‘Dasappan’. One subtle element I loved in the character is that he is a very positive guy. He is always with Kichu and doesn’t think twice before entering into a fight with anyone who talks against Kichu. He does the same with his father, too. So, when Dasappan finally breaks down, the audience did feel his pang. It was inevitable,” says Dharmajan.
He says when scriptwriter Bibin George approached him with the role, he was thrilled. “I knew this was what I was waiting for. With them, we don’t even need to improvise on comedy. Their script is penned with the characters in mind. So, I just have to go and do it. Then, acting with artists like Salim Kumar makes you excel in your craft,” says Dharmajan.
Making people cry is not hard
Dharmajan may be at ease with handling comedy, but he says making people laugh is extremely tough. “However, making people cry is relatively easy. But, comedy is an entirely different ball game. You need to crack people up. It isn’t easy. With changing times, it has become almost impossible to beat Whatsapp comedy. Stage shows are no more the fun it used to be. We have to be inventive every minute. Compared to that, doing character roles and sob stories are a cakewalk.
When he met Mammookka
Dharmajan says he was thrilled to bits when actor Mammootty complemented him on his role. “He hugged me and told me how good I was in Kattapanayile Ritwik Roshan. He said he loved it and told me he has suggested my name to a few directors. What more could I ask. The great actor himself congratulating me,” says
Dharmajan.