Biju Menon rediscovered the actor in him quite lately, precisely two decades after he made a noticeable entry through Mannar Mathai Speaking (1995). A few solid performances did ensue over the years - Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalath (1997), Mazha (2000) and Meghamalhar (2001) - but it were all a prelude to Ordinary (2012), which announced his comeback. Then, came the breakthrough Vellimoonga (2014). This little flick proved Biju could shoulder a movie to success, a real indicator of an actor’s salebility.
Today, Biju seems to be carrying on unperturbed, no tall claims to back him up. May be that is why we loved him as Baiju in Renjan Pramod’s Rakshadikari Baiju. The movie hit the marquee without a hullabaloo, but stands tall amidst the tornado named Baahubali. We get the actor in a candid mood where he opens up about his choice of films and on connecting with the masses.
'Rakshadikari Baiju‘ seems to be doing well in theatres. Tell us how you feel.
Absolutely happy. It was a small movie and people connected to Baiju because they saw themselves in him. Baiju is the quintessential common man, with no big ambitions and he rejoices in the little joys of life. When Ranjan told me about the character, I related to him and really wanted to do it. In fact, not just the protagonist, all the characters were so real. It is the story of a bunch of people who refused to get caught in the ebb of development. The nostalgia people felt is very much justifiable.
You seem to be getting good at comic roles with years. Are you so comfortable with that genre?
It seems audience love me in comic roles. But, then I don’t do humour just for the sake of it. All the movies that went down well with the masses are those with situational humour. That is what appeals to the people. Good scripts make the difference. But, then like every other actor, I want to break the mould and try out different characters and genres. But, at the moment, this is what comes to me. Still, I want to do villain roles, like in the initial phase of my career. I am also open to offbeat flicks. But, at present humour is what people expect from me.
You are someone who isn’t apprehensive about onscreen image, like the time you played father to Asif Ali in ‘Anuraga Karikkinvellam’.
I don’t care one bit about my onscreen image. I don’t analyse how playing a character will affect my image. I only look whether the character is worthy enough. The role of cop I played in Anuraga Karikkinvellam convinced me, so I took it. My only priority is the story and the script.
You have ‘Lakshyam’ lined up for release. You suffered a fracture during the shoot. How challenging was it?
Lakshyam was shot inside the forest. Obviously, it had its share of challenges. The movie has been shot in different terrains and reaching the location itself was a strenuous task. And, I was handcuffed with Indrajith through the shoot. May be, it is one of the most physically demanding experiences I have had so far. However, the highlight is its script. Lakshyam is a thriller with an undercurrent of humour. I hope it does well in the box office.
What’s with the new look you are sporting? Are you working out?
Yes, I have lost a lot of weight for my role in Lava Kusha. However, Lava Kusha is basically Neeraj Madhav’s and Aju Varghese’s movie. I just play along with them. I am just on a strict diet as I am too lazy to workout (laughs).
Have you signed any new project?
After Lava Kusha, I am doing Sherlock Toms, which would be one venture to watch out for. Though there is a steady stream of humour in it, it is a different genre. Maybe kind of a novel one. Then, I have also signed for Lal Jose’s next venture, which will go on the floors after Lal Jose-Mohanlal
project.