Whether Prithviraj can play a cop with ease and elan is beyond anybody’s doubt. The versatile actor has time and again made it clear that being a tough and broody cop comes to him naturally, or at least that’s what movies like Memories and Seventh Day prove.
But, what if the character has a comical touch to it? Well, Prithviraj’s next outing Tamar Padar, directed by debutant director Dileesh Nair, will portray him as a cop tad different from what he has played onscreen so far.
Says Dileesh Nair: “Tamar Padar is basically a socio-political satire and Prithviraj plays ACP Pauran in the movie. Pauran is a good cop with a humane side to him. Though his character has a comical streak, it is basically situational comedy and not dialogue-oriented one.”
Prithviraj has played many cop characters over the years right from Satyam to the latest Seventh Day .
The writer-turned-director says Tamar Padar is a mix of realism and unrealism and resembles a cartoon. “Just like its name implies, many elements in the movie are funny and cartoonish. The movie effectively blends these elements,” says Dileesh.
However, Dileesh loves to tag his movie as ‘the story of two circus artistes’.
“The story is about how Jumper Thambi and Crossbelt Mani, the two main characters, meet ACP Pauran which later on leads to the various incidents that unfurl the story. These characters have a huge screen space and it is equally their movie as much as it is Pauran’s,” says the director, who has wrote the story. He adds that the story reflects our present social situations.
Baburaj will enact the role of Jumper Thambi, a stunt bike artiste, while Chemban Vinod will play Crossbelt Mani. Chemban Vinod has played important roles in Amen, North 24 Kaatham and Saptamasree Taskaraha.
Srinda Ashab will play another prominent character in the movie besides Maniyanpillai Raju, Ashwin Mathew and Vijay Babu. The movie which will hit theatres on Thursday is being produced by M Renjith, under the banner of Rejaputhra Visual Media.
Dileesh who has scripted movies like Da Thadiya, Idukki Gold I Salt and Pepper says being a director was more challenging. “When you are a script writer, you just has to write and leave the rest to the director. Here, I have to coordinate everyone right from the light boy to the actors. It is no mean task,” says Dileesh.
“However, being a director has its advantages and disadvantages too. As a writer, I can convey my idea to the director. The writer and the director discusses it and reaches a compromise on the entire plot. And, there are chances that the director makes or mars it. But, when you are the director yourself, you have the entire freedom to do do things in your way. You can realise what you conceived. But, there is another side to it, the absence of second opinion,” says Dileesh.