Joju George’s directorial debut Pani has given a new lease of life for many in the cast, some freshers and some who have been toiling for a break for years. Dony Xavier Johnson is one such actor, who, after a struggle of almost 25 years, has finally landed a solid role.
Despite appearing only briefly, the actor’s quirky dialogue delivery and mannerisms as Vella Joy, a local thug, have made an impression. The word ‘moodesh’, which he repeatedly uses in the film, is already part of the ever-expanding Malayali social media slang. “Most of these words like ‘moodesh’, ‘poweresh’, and ‘vilakoodhi’ are all part of our everyday talk among friends, but I never expected them to go viral. Everyone, including women, calls me moodesh now,” says the excited actor.
Dony, who owns a small-scale garment business in Kochi, has been part of the film industry for over two decades now. Initially, Dony was a dancer with the Kalabhavan troupe for a few years before debuting as a background dancer. “I’m one of the dancers beside Kunachacko Boban in the song ‘Avva Avva’ from Sathyam Sivam Sundaram (2000). My cinema journey started from there in that bus stand in Kakkanad,” recalls Dony.
With survival becoming a question mark, he also took up junior artist roles in several films. It was much later in 2011 that his mentor Siju S Bava, an associate director, helped him land a role in Chaappa Kurishu (2011), where he finally got to say a dialogue. “Buddy, ee address onnu write cheyth tharo”—Dony’s first dialogue had the perfect ‘freakan’ flavour. It was a time when ‘freakans’ were a mandatory presence in Kochi-based films.
‘Freakans’ were then recognised as youngsters donning funky hairstyles and flashy costumes, who also frequently use words like ‘bro’, ‘macha’, and ‘chanke’. Post-Chaappa Kurishu, Dony did a string of such roles in films like Thira (2013), Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi (2013), Aadu (2015), Ishq (2019), etc.
All this while, he was hesitant to ask for roles as he believed “only those who personally know us can recognise our true potential.” Recounting some bitter experiences, he adds, “Even people I’m close with have edited my portions out. Ultimately, it all depends on what fits the film well. You can’t be assured of anything in cinema.”
Dony first sensed a big break with Shane Nigam’s Valiyaperunnal (2019), but the film failed to fare as expected. Fortunately for him, it got him in touch with Joju, who later became an important part of his life and career.
“Joju chettan liked my work in Valiyaperunnal and promised that he’ll call me whenever there’s an apt role. I never expected anything from him, but he has always been there for me. When I was going through a financial crunch to set up my business, he voluntarily helped me. He didn’t have to do that.”
It took a few years but Joju kept his promise by offering Dony a significant role in Pani. “Initially, I didn’t have any idea about the role but Joju chettan assured me that it would be noticed. He wanted me to improvise and be natural. Though I didn’t have combination scenes with him, it was fun working with his son, who plays my shishyan’s role,” chuckles Dony.
On the road ahead, the actor adds, “It took me 25 years, but Pani has finally lent me a new identity and it’s now up to me to build on it. Many have advised me to wait for a good role and not take up something just for the sake of money.”
But having been around for so long, Dony is also aware of the film industry’s unpredictable nature. Keen on continuing his garment business, he says, “By now, I’ve realised that if I pursue cinema blindly, my family would starve to death. It’s not an easy place to survive; Pani has only opened the doors slightly.”
Dony concludes the chat by sharing his goals for the future. “I want to prove my potential by doing all kinds of roles. I want to become an expensive actor, earn good money, build a home, take care of my family, and travel around the world. I think I deserve it after all the struggle.”