In cinema, stereotyping is a curse that actors have to deal with. Comedy actors, despite doing the toughest job of making people laugh, are mostly the victims of this phenomenon. But history has often proven that an actor who does comedy can handle characters of any shade with relative ease. Aju Varghese, who was confined to humour-oriented roles for a major part of his career, grabbed eyeballs every time he got a chance to display his potential beyond comedy.
Zachariayude Garbhinikal, Su.. Su... Sudhi Vathmeekam, Rakshadhikari Baiju Oppu, and the more recent blockbuster, 2018 are some films that showcased the other side of Aju. Thirteen years after his debut, Aju is today the lead actor of Disney+ Hotstar’s maiden Malayalam web series, Kerala Crime Files. It has been quite an eventful journey, but Aju is not one to gloat over it. He is still concerned about his insecurities and the challenges that lie ahead.
Here are excerpts from a candid conversation with the unassuming actor:
From Kuttu of Malarvadi Arts Club to SI Manoj of Kerala Crime Files, how much have your priorities changed in cinema?
A lot. Initially, I wasn’t concerned about being typecast. My principle was to do whatever that comes my way. But during the pandemic, there was plenty of time for introspection, and I realised I should be doing something meaningful. I decided to be choosy, and I’m jobless most days now (laughs).
But are you truly happy with that decision?
Yes, but I’m also aware that I can’t always be selective. There are a few compromises that I’ve to make peace with, like if it’s a friend’s project or if I’m financially constrained. An actor like me doesn’t always have the choice to wait for extraordinary plots or characters. I might even take up a film with an unexciting storyline if I’m playing an interesting character. But if it doesn’t have any major contribution to the plot, I bluntly reject it now.
You’ve often admitted to requesting roles from senior filmmakers. Doesn’t that affect your policy of being choosy?
There’s always a temptation when it comes to working with superstars or senior filmmakers. These are people I idolised growing up. Forget working together, just seeing them from close quarters excites me. So I get tempted to ask for roles. It might not always be a prominent part, but I try and request a good dialogue or a memorable moment. I still ask for roles with anyone with whom I genuinely want to collaborate.
Do you shy away from doing lead roles?
When I’m offered a role, I first think about whether I want to see myself in that part. I’ll take it up only if I feel comfortable imagining myself in those shoes. I’m also more at ease doing character roles. That’s where I feel I’m more original and enjoying the process. I also know my limitations. I’m well aware that I don’t fit in the expectations of a typical hero. Moreover, I don’t want a producer to risk crores of money on an actor without market value.
Is that why you agreed to do a web series, where conventional market value doesn’t dictate terms?
That’s one factor. But I also had a lot of trust in the show’s director Ahammed (Khabeer) and producer Rahul (Riji Nair). Ahammed has proven his mettle with two hit films (June and Madhuram), and Rahul is an award-winning filmmaker. There was also Padmarajan sir’s son, Ananthapadmanabhan, as part of Hotstar’s team. He was one of the key factors that lead me to this project. So, I had confidence in the team and knew that they’ll land this project safely. But it was much closer to release, did I realise the magnitude of its reach.
How do you feel when people rate this as your career best?
I feel a lot of responsibility is over. But I’m also aware that the span of this adulation is only till my next bad performance.
What was the initial character brief you got for SI Manoj?
I usually don’t ask for in-depth narrations if I trust the maker. But Ahammed gave me a clear picture of the story and explained how it’s based on a true incident. My character is also loosely based on a real-life policeman, Vijay Shankar. He’s not the super cop that we usually celebrate in the cinema. He’s more like the cops in Action Hero Biju and Antakshari—real and relatable. We haven’t retained his traits as such but borrowed some basic details like his soft-spoken nature. We wanted Manoj to be a gentle guy like him without the persona of a typical cop. Perhaps that’s why I got cast for the role. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have chosen someone who predominantly did humour roles.
You’ve earlier played police roles in Helen and Minnal Murali, and they both were diametrically opposite to Manoj...
True, they both were fraud characters (laughs). This is the first time I’m playing an honest cop, and I just followed Ahammed’s instructions. He had already done a lot of homework for my character and that was convincing enough for me. If I put in more effort, it would end up as a mess. I know I can’t produce the same output as someone who has worked on a character for months. When a maker is clear in his vision and knows what he wants, then it’s better to go by his instincts.
Initially, there’s a smirk in Manoj’s face every time he lands a clue. But it fades as the investigation progresses without yielding any results...
It was completely Ahammed’s input. Though I wasn’t keen on having that smirk, he insisted on having it. As I said, it’s his vision, and there’s a reason why he was particular about it. Now that you’ve noticed and asked me this, I realise his interpretation of the character was spot-on.
How was the dynamics with Lal, who plays a contrasting character to yours?
Lal sir has been a constant presence every time I attempted something new in my career. The first film in which I played a non-comical role was Zachariayude Garbhinikal, which had Lal sir as the lead. He was also there in Helen, where I did a negative role. I remember after my first take in Helen, I didn’t look at director Mathukutty; my eyes automatically turned towards Lal sir for his approval, and he asked me to go for one more. Here’s someone who has directed and acted with some of the biggest legends of our times. Despite all that, he always gives me space to express my concerns. Working with him is a huge confidence booster.
You’ve often spoken about your lack of confidence...
It’s one of the major problems I face in my career. That’s why I rely completely on the directors. I believe my skills are limited to the duration between ‘action’ and ‘cut’. Before and after that, I’m heavily dependent on others. I recently spoke with an acting coach about my lack of confidence. He said only trained actors are not bothered about this issue. All others experience it—doesn’t matter if it’s your 50th or 100th film. I try hard to hide it, but deep inside, I’m aware that it still persists.
But what do you think is the reason for your confidence getting affected?
My ultimate dream is to become a character actor, and I know I still have a long way to go. But the sheer thought of what our predecessors have achieved and their range of skills kills my confidence. The benchmark they’ve set is huge; so I don’t strive to reach there, but I want to be an actor who filmmakers can trust with any kind of role. It makes me feel low when I realise I haven’t been able to come close to that.
Is that why you always seek validation?
Exactly. I’m surrounded by some of the harshest critics you’ll ever come across, which includes my manager, admin and friends like Dhyan, Midhun Manuel and Bhagath. They’re very blunt with their opinions, and I think I need that to understand my limitations. We’re catering to a highly critical audience who’re accustomed to watching legendary performers. So, they’ll spot the bad apples easily. Being in the company of these ruthless critics will only help me improve my craft. It also makes me immune to the regular backlash from real critics and reviewers (laughs).
With increasing scrutiny fuelled by debates on political correctness, do you think the quality of humour has waned?
I think humour evolves with time. The comedy I grew up watching was not the one in the 2000s, and it’s not the same today. There is a shift happening because of the kids’ exposure and the western influence. Regarding political correctness, I concur with what Ranjan Pramod sir said recently. Commercial cinema is not completely real. There are a few ingredients added to make it engaging and entertaining. In most commercial films, there’s a good guy and bad guy. A bad guy becomes one only when he does bad things. We can’t show both of them to be politically correct, but the key is not to propagate his evil deeds as acceptable and misguide the audience. Films should have politically incorrect characters and their actions can be glorified, but only from their perspective. The film shouldn’t glorify it. There’s a thin line that shouldn’t be crossed, but that line can’t be rigid. It’s up to the creator to decide how far they can push it. As an actor, I’m fine with delivering problematic lines if mine is a grey-shaded role and the line is needed to enhance the characterisation. But still, if it’s very abusive and doesn’t contribute anything to the character, I request it to be avoided or suggest better alternatives.
Do you plan to be active in production, particularly when industry insiders feel Malayalam cinema is in a period of crisis?
I’m not planning to be a full-time producer, but I’ll take up a project if things fall in place. Along with Dhyan and Visakh (Subramaniam), I am producing Dhyan’s next directorial. We’re thinking of having Nivin as the lead, but it hasn’t been finalised yet.
Also, I don’t feel this is an uncertain period in Malayalam cinema. In my 13 years of being in the industry, I haven’t seen a more beautiful phase in terms of the number of blockbusters releasing back to back. Malikappuram, Romancham and 2018 released within a gap of six months, and one among them is an industry hit. I think Romancham is the most profitable Malayalam film ever, if you consider the investment-returns ratio. So, when people say its a period of crisis, I think we’re being a bit harsh.
And finally, how do you plan to take your career forward?
I might sound regressive, but the fact is, I don’t plan anything beyond a month, especially post pandemic. I mostly take the advance only if the project begins in the next 2-3 months. I don’t like having any financial commitments beyond that.