Shall we start with your entry into films?
Though noted filmmaker Ramu Kariat was my uncle, my entry into cinema had nothing to do with that family connection. As a youngster, I did dream of becoming a film director, but my foremost ambition was to join the Army. I tried several routes, like the NDA and SSB, but none worked out. So I joined a company, where I got to do an MBA. Later, I started a company that manufactured phenyl. I was the managing director, representative, cashier, and everything else!
During that time, Victor Leenus, who was the correspondent of Blitz, told me about a novel, Vellam, written by N N Pisharody. I read it, and it had a profound effect on me. It was based on the 1960-70 period, when feudalism collapsed and communism emerged. The director in me visualised making it into a film. Victor, however, dissuaded me. I too realised I was not mature enough to direct such a film. I felt that established writers and directors could do justice to the subject. So I met director Hariharan, and he agreed to direct it. I suggested that M T Vasudevan Nair should write the screenplay.
I decided to produce the film. My father had given me money for establishing a business, and that amount ended up funding the project. Unfortunately, my first film (Vellam, starring Prem Nazir and Madhu) did not do well commercially. It was mainly due to my inexperience and lack of proper marketing. I still believe it had the potential to be a hit.
How did that setback affect you?
The financial strain caused by that failure pushed me into acting. Around that time, I came across an advertisement by Devar Films, inviting those who knew martial arts to an audition. Most of my family members were trained in Kalaripayattu, and I had been practising it since the age of 10.
So I decided to give it a shot. My motivation was not just love for cinema, but also my financial struggles. Even if I earned just Rs 500, it would have been a big relief at that time. We shot fight sequences without rehearsals. After the shoot, I returned with the team in a van, expecting to be paid. I waited, watching everyone pack up. There was no payment. That was my first film acting experience — a small role in a Tamil film with Suman as the hero.
We have heard that you were quite active as a student politician with KSU…
By the time I completed high school, I realised that politics was like the air a nation breathed — everyone, in some way, was a politician. There was no politics or protests in my school. But once, when I was in Class 10, my friends and I heard about a protest at the nearby St Thomas Boys’ High School. Curiosity drove us there. As we neared the gate, there was pandemonium inside: students running, fights breaking out, several being beaten up… Near the main gate, I noticed a lean man dressed in white.
Though bleeding, he stood firm and guided a lot of students to safety. That scene left a deep impression on me. The next day, I learned it was V M Sudheeran, a Youth Congress leader at that time. He had risked his own safety to protect others. I was impressed by that sincerity and courage. Later, when I entered college, it felt natural to join KSU. At that time, KSU was strong, while SFI was just starting to emerge. I became actively involved in KSU for five years, but never held an official position.
It is said that your family had a close rapport with K Karunakaran?
Yes. My father was an assistant public prosecutor, and there was once a case involving Karunakaran. Despite being on opposite sides in court, they formed a bond. My father was an exceptionally honest man. I used to tell my mother he wasn’t really suited for a lawyer’s life because he never compromised on integrity. Karunakaran respected that quality. They became close, and he often sought my father’s opinions.
When did you decide to pursue acting as a career?
To be honest, I always believed I didn’t know how to act. I never intended to continue in films. But one day, while shopping at Spencer’s on Mount Road in Chennai, a bearded man was following me. He introduced himself as an assistant to filmmaker John Abraham, and said he had written a script for an independent, art-house film. Seeing me sporting a beard and kurta, he felt I was perfect for the role. I told him I wasn’t interested. Yet, he took my contact details and later even came home to meet me.
Meanwhile, my friends lambasted me for rejecting the offer, pointing out that people would queue-up for a role in a John Abraham film. I told them I didn’t know how to act. But they encouraged me to give it a try, and that’s how I landed my first Malayalam film. My role was of an unemployed rebel, and the story was set in a brick kiln near Aluva. The project, however, stalled midway. But the rushes of that unfinished film changed my path.
Subsequently, director Rajasenan and script-writer Tulasidas, who had noticed me during the making of Vellam, offered me the role of a singer, a character modelled somewhat on Yesudas. That was my second film — Rajasenan’s Aagraham, with Menaka as the heroine. Soon after, director Ambili cast me in Ashtapadi. Around that time, Hariharan sir was observing my work. Later, as I did a few smaller films, he advised me not to destroy my career with weak projects.
He told me about Amrutham Gamaya, written by MT, and wanted me to play the rich villain opposite Mohanlal. Next, New Delhi came my way. It earned me recognition for my villain role. That marked my transition into negative characters. I followed it up with another villain role in Nair Saab. After back-to-back cruel roles, I took on Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam, where I got to romance Parvathy. Soon after, I was invited to Telugu cinema.
So by then, had you accepted that you were destined for cinema?
There was no other way. Moreover, my father was proud that I became a film actor. He had kept a framed photo of mine, from the time of Ekalavyan, on his office table. I got emotional on seeing that. Unlike mothers, fathers are usually not so expressive. My mother used to say that my father often walked out of the theatre towards the end of the film, saying he could not bear to see me getting killed. My mother would also accompany him out.
You had the opportunity to collaborate with legends like MT and Hariharan at an early stage, including a film like Aranyakam…
Aranyakam is one of the best films in my life. The character, though a Naxal, held political views similar to mine. I was asked to grow a beard for the role. I was naturally excited to play a key part in the MT-Hariharan collaboration. But later, I received a call from Hariharan sir, informing me that MT sir doubted whether I could pull off the character, as it was originally written for Mammootty.
That left me devastated. Some days later, while I was in Chennai, I received a call asking me to reach Kalpetta by 6am the next day. As soon as I arrived, I was asked to put on the costume and face the camera. It turned out that though Mammootty had agreed to do the role, he got held up with some emergency. Hariharan sir insisted the shoot should proceed, and the role landed on me. Someone working on the film even mocked me, asking how I could possibly play a role that was written for Mammootty.
That’s what I call fate — if something is meant for us, it will come our way. There is a line in the film that felt true to me: “I have lots of books to read. My parents provided me with the opportunity to receive a good education, and I have been fortunate enough to have sufficient financial means to live comfortably. But all these blessings shouldn’t be just restricted to me. There is a big community in our country that doesn’t have these.” MT sir had captured it perfectly. This resonates with my core ideology. In fact, I founded my party in 2004 based on this very thought.
To what extent were you able to implement your ideas after launching the party?
I have done many things. I made political interventions in issues such as Smart City and the Mullaperiyar Dam. In the Mullaperiyar issue, no other party made such strong representations. I went there and found that the dam wouldn’t break. When the case came before the Supreme Court, I always noted certain observations made by the bench. One was: why not come to an amicable settlement? When I investigated, I found that, constitutionally, Tamil Nadu was in the right.
Why don’t our leaders acknowledge this? The then irrigation minister N K Premachandran had asked me to engage with the Tamil Nadu government. But later, he told me not to, since the prime minister had spoken to the Tamil Nadu chief minister. I told him, “You don’t know Tamil Nadu politics the way I do. Jayalalithaa won’t budge.” After the SC verdict, Premachandran again approached me.
I went to Tamil Nadu with a solution beneficial to both sides. Jayalalithaa agreed, and an inter-state ministerial meeting was decided upon. But at the last moment, Premachandran backed out, leaving me embarrassed before the Tamil Nadu ministerial team. Similarly, I made a major intervention in the Smart City project. There would have been massive corruption if the Kerala government led by Oommen Chandy had signed the initial agreement with TECOM. I never opposed the project per se as portrayed by some sections of the media, but the agreement — especially conditions like freehold lands. The agreement was detrimental to Kerala’s interests.
There has been a change of guard In AMMA. Women have come into leadership. You too contested to the top post. How do you view the shift?
I did not involve much in the association’s internal affairs for some years, as it was functioning smoothly with Mohanlal as president. I became active again when an ad hoc committee was appointed. I studied the developments. There are issues in the association. One problem is mismanagement, though not deliberate. There is a lack of awareness about how to lead an association. For example, AMMA has faced GST and income tax show-cause notices over the past three years.
We owed Rs 2.25 crore in GST and Rs 3.25 crore in income tax. Nobody knew this. When the election was declared, I checked with the department. They said even those who responded to the notices didn’t know the nitty-gritty. Officials claim we earned Rs 90 crore from shows. But ours is a social-charitable association. Ninety-five per cent of our funds go to the members’ welfare.
Then the question arises: why haven’t we registered under 80G (nonprofit category)? That’s why I said it is mismanagement due to lack of awareness. We were probably treating it like a club. Whether the new leadership can solve these issues remains to be seen. They must. I am not part of the leadership team, but if they seek help, I will assist. I don’t have ego issues.
Such associations need to take strong stands. Did AMMA take one on the Hema Committee and other internal issues? Often, it responds only under public pressure. Have you felt so?
Yes. But we can act only if we have power. As an actor, I cannot. But as a politician, I can bring about change. As a member, I feel the new executive committee is off to a good start because they are addressing these issues. And we now have more women — eight in the executive committee.
What are your views on AMMA’s response to past issues like the actress assault case?
We have bylaws. In the actress assault case, I strongly said that before expelling someone, we must give them a chance to speak. A show-cause notice must be issued, and the person heard. But nobody was willing to. There was pressure to expel Dileep.
In the case of technical issues like taxation, do you believe AMMA could be run better if people with more time to spare are elected to leadership?
Yes. But there is a problem. Cinema is a glamorous field. Mohanlal was accepted by everyone. If he goes to someone with an issue, nobody will refuse him. If I go, I may not get the same reception. That is a problem — we don’t have such a figure now. There were doubts after Mohanlal resigned. I believed that even if he said no to continuing at the helm, he would eventually yield. That’s usually how it used to be. When he says he’s quitting, everyone pleads, “Laletta, please don’t leave”, and he would agree to continue. That’s the kind of democracy there — not based on voting, but faith. We need someone who can inspire that kind of confidence.
You have worked in Tamil, Kannada, and other industries. How is Malayalam different?
The Malayalam industry has grown with more exposure. People now have the space to enter without fear. Yes, there are allegations and demands, but not all are practical. Maybe a few untoward incidents happened, but people have misunderstood them. In AMMA, everyone is equal. Earlier, we had strong leaders. I don’t know how things will be going forward. During the election, too, there were issues. Matters like the memory card case (regarding an AMMA women members meet that was videographed) are serious. We must stand by the victims.
Are you an actor-turned-politician or a politician-turned-actor?
I am a politician-turned-actor. As said earlier, I was deeply involved in student politics with strong ideals and a vision for society. I formed the Kerala People’s Political Party because I was unhappy with the state of affairs here. I am the only actor in Kerala who has dared to form a political party and work directly with people.
For this, I have been attacked and my party office ransacked. I survived thanks to martial arts training. In May 2004, I contested elections not only to register my presence but also to gauge people’s pulse. At one point, I was approached by an anti-national group that offered funds and MLAs. I flatly refused. I would never align with such forces.
How do you assess Kerala’s current political scenario?
Dismal. It’s shapeless, like liquid without form — lacking direction or clarity. What we see is utter disarray and chaos.
You said you joined the BJP as you found it to be the better option. Within it, do you find space for your ideals?
Yes. I didn’t simply join — I merged my party with the BJP. In 2016, I had a one-on-one meeting with Amit Shah in Delhi, but many of my questions went unanswered. Later, in 2021, I formally merged my party with the BJP.
You once said that you would contest in the general election and prove that you could win. What’s your view now?
I still believe that. I have time to prove myself. I know the BJP hasn’t yet reached a stage where winning a seat would be easy. I joined BJP with the purpose of contributing to its growth.
What are your expectations for BJP in the upcoming elections?
I see a bright future for the BJP. However, there is still much more work to be done. Personally, I maintain strong connections with people of different religions. I have close ties with the Muslim community and feel welcome in their homes. I also share a good rapport with the Christian community. I follow Sree Narayana Guru’s philosophy: “One Caste, One Religion, One God for Mankind”. That is Sanatana Dharma for me. I am also deeply inspired by Gurudevan’s words: “One may follow any religion, but what’s paramount is to be a good human being.”
Do you believe the BJP truly follows these ideals?
Absolutely. The media has created a wrong narrative about the BJP and the RSS. I have studied the RSS deeply. I firmly believe the RSS is one of the most misinterpreted organisations.
The RSS was strongly opposed to Empuraan. What is your opinion?
I too am completely against Empuraan. To me, it is anti-national, and I will say this anywhere. The events shown in the film were misleading — it was a manipulated narrative. Empuraan showed only one side [of the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat]. Like the media, cinema also has a duty to be truthful. We should not amplify one-sided stories.
But doesn’t cinema have artistic liberty?
Not to the extent of spreading canards — especially against India. I am firmly against that. The first thing we all must do is to learn to love India. India is a great nation. And now under Modiji, we have grown strong enough to stand up to global powers.
Do you follow social media? Trolls call you ‘Devji’... how do you view such memes?
I rarely pay attention to such things. Sometimes friends show me. I do appreciate the creativity at times. For instance, I once saw a clip of me speaking passionately, cut abruptly to Mohanlal asking, “Vattaanalle?” (‘You are mad, right?’ dialogue from Kilukkam). That was creative.
What are your upcoming projects?
I am planning to direct a film. The script is ready. It will be a large-scale, pan-national project.