Guru Somasundaram plays a character who drowns his sorrows in the bottle in his upcoming comedy-drama Bottle Radha. Originally scheduled to release this Friday, the film has been postponed to January 24. Guru is known for his preparation and meticulous approach to supporting roles.
From his debut Aaranya Kaandam, to a critically acclaimed performance in Minnal Murali, the actor has always deeply immersed himself in his roles. However, in an exclusive conversation with CE, he says that he has reached a stage in his career where he no longer needs such extensive preparation to transition between different personalities and behaviours.
When asked about his approach to portraying an alcoholic in Bottle Radha, the actor lightheartedly says, “I did not drink alcohol to get into the skin of this character.” He adds, “Some personal experiences, along with my background in theatre and film, helped me portray the role.
I worked in theatre for 11 years, which taught me how to differentiate between characters, and I know how to adapt that to cinema. That said, I did attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings after one of my co-stars suggested it. There, I listened to the stories of people who had overcome alcohol addiction.”
Films about alcoholic protagonists often portray them in a negative light. However, some films take a more empathetic approach, exploring the reasons behind their alcoholism and their journey to recovery while also delivering a message about the subject. Although Guru had played a similar character in Aaranya Kaandam, he says his role in Bottle Radha is completely new for him.
On what appealed to him beyond the alcoholism aspect, Guru says, “The story of Bottle Radha is like a hero’s journey. I play a family man who’s suffering because of alcohol. But driven by his love for his wife and children, he strives to overcome his addiction to provide for his family.” Guru further explains that the character’s redemption arc forms the emotional core of the film, making it more of a family drama than a message film about alcoholism.
A comedy-drama like Bottle Radha offers actors the opportunity to embody physical traits to enhance their performance, whether it is for comedic or dramatic moments.
However, it is easy for such portrayals to become stereotypical. Guru shares, “I focused more on the emotional aspects of my character. I did not want to rely on physical comedy to portray drunkenness.
The film delves into the emotional journey between my character, his family, and friends, and alcohol.” He also credits debutant director Dhinakaran Sivalingam for bringing authenticity to the titular character while avoiding stereotypes.
Talking about the creative process, he says, “The director gave me proper guidance, and he keenly observed my performance to ensure that I didn’t become repetitive. He has an organic approach to direction, shooting scenes orderly, which also helped me play the role with conviction.” Apart from playing prominent roles, the actor has appeared in cameo roles in films, such as an acting coach with a funny bone in Jigarthanda and a perverted auto driver in the recent Malayalam multistarrer Her.
Guru attributes his willingness to take on both big and small roles to his theatre background. He candidly says, “In theatre, actors often take on lead roles in one play and supporting roles in another. In cinema, some actors hesitate to take on small roles, but I have never had that mindset because I do not know what to do with my career.”
Guru has also acted with Mohanlal for the first time in the latter’s directorial debut, Barroz 3D, which is releasing on Christmas in Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada. While he cannot reveal much about his role, he expressed his admiration for Mohanlal as both an actor and director.
The actor also has a role in a full-on comedy film with Manikandan, which he says is set to release this month. He shares that the film from director Rajeshwar Kaliswamy of Nakkalites-fame is a family drama exploring a “tug of war” between his and Manikandan’s characters. Guru’s upcoming lineup also includes Samsaram, a Tamil-Malayalam bilingual. “I am taking big roles now and waiting for good scripts. I also get offers from Hindi,” he says.