CHENNAI: Ask for TikTok paati in Kodambakkam and all hands would instantly point towards A Rajamani’s house. The 72-year-old has created a buzz on social media for her versatile performances, chirpy expressions and quirky costumes. City Express caught up Rajamani as she was busy preparing for her 151st TikTok video on a scene from the recently released film Bigil with her grandson Thoufiq Mohamed at their house.
A grand act
“My grandson Thoufiq used to often upload solo Tik Tok videos until he realised that a particular role needed my help. I was introduced to the acting platform and my debut performance was a scene taken from the film Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam. It has been six months, and I have tried out a variety of challenging and fun roles,” says Rajamani, dressed in an elegant kurta, and sporting a charming smile. Her cheerful attitude defies her age.
The grandmother-grandson duo has 525000 viewers on TikTok and 11.5 k followers on Instagram. They make it a point to upload at least one video a day. Her latest video of a scene from the film Chandramukhi went viral with 1.7 million views on TikTok and was trending on Twitter.
From a don sporting a blazer and sunglasses to a school kid in a uniform and high ponytails, Rajamani effortlessly gets into the skin of her characters. This has garnered her a huge fan-following from even countries like Malaysia and Russia. She video calls them during weekends. People identify her by film characters more than her real-life personality.
Breaking barriers
“We put in maximum efforts to look our best on the screen. Everything is managed with what we have at home. My grandsons get me lipstick and kajal based on what my role requires. It’s overwhelming when people recognise me on roads and at malls. They shake hands, seek blessings, and often say that I remind them of their grandmother. A few transgenders praised me and the kids in my colony take selfies with me. I feel blessed to make people happy by being their stress-buster,” says Rajamani, who cleared SSLC in the 1960s, went for teacher training and worked in an elementary school in Komarapalayam, Namakkal until retirement. She moved to Chennai in 2015.
“I loved a Muslim boy and got married to him but never converted. However, my only daughter Ameena Parveen chose to be a Muslim after marrying someone from the community, and so are my grandsons. Most of them ask us if we truly are related because I wear a bindi and embrace a different religion. We are progressive people and celebrate all festivals,” she says.
Behind the scenes
The duo attributes their success to their close-knit family.
“Scenes, films and characters - these are things that keep running in our minds even on holidays. TikTok is a serious business for us and there’s no break. Right from uploading the video on time, choosing content and updating ourselves - we have each other’s back and don’t care about what the rest of the world thinks. I feel happy to be identified as Rajamani’s grandson. We share a wonderful chemistry and that has helped us come far,” says Thoufiq, a Viscom student and aspiring actor.
Rajamani’s elder grandson Jubair Mohamed gets her the script, her younger grandson Thoufiq helps her with acting and remembering dialogues, and her daughter Ameena takes care of the make-up, costumes and shooting the video. This is a typical day at their house.
“The house is filled with peals of laughter as my mother goes into rehearsal mode. Sometimes I have to retake a scene so many times because she goofs up. Although most of our well-wishers are encouraging, some relatives passed comments on the clothes and weren’t supportive. We brushed aside the negativity and focussed on our strengths. Even today, when she visits her native place, Komarapalayam, amma goes swimming in the river. She’s active, energetic and an inspiration to all of us,” says Ameena.
A new hobby
Rajamani feels like she is living a dream. She’s thankful to her grandson for introducing her to the platform.
“Instead of treating the older generation as lazy people, give them a chance, include them in your activities and feel proud of them. Friends who are my age are happy that at least I’m able to do things like this. Being liked by the younger generation is a big task. There’s so much negativity around. I don’t get bogged down by trolls or memes,” says Rajamani whose most-liked videos are from films like Vinnaithandi Varuvaya, Theri and Chandramukhi.
Till date, Thoufiq goes for all the films with Rajamani, who is a movie buff. “We’re mindful of our competitors and open to suggestions. It took a while for us to understand paati’s learning speed, liking for dialogues and areas of strength. Earlier, she used to take multiple takes for a delivery. We often tease her but she takes it sportively. With time, she has gained experience. Based on feedback, we will work on our own scripts and also revisit scenes from old films,” he says.
Quick five
* One thing in your checklist: I want to see Taj Mahal
* Dream: Roles in films
* Hobbies: Singing and watching dance performances
* Favourite characters: Imitating child artist roles
* Success formula: Life is short, take it easy