Actor Rahul Rajagopal has built much of his career in close collaboration with filmmaker Krishand. From early short films and web series to the National Award-winning Aavasavyuham and the recently released Masthishka Maranam, Rahul has appeared in almost every project the director has made. In the new film, a cyberpunk satire set in a dystopian neo-Kochi where memories can be extracted and traded, he plays Shajimon, an obsessive fanboy devoted to superstar Frida Soman (Rajisha Vijayan). The response, he says, has been encouraging even if not unanimous. "It might be difficult for people who are not connected to this kind of storytelling. But our target audience is responding very well to the film," he says.
Shaping Shajimon
When Krishand first spoke to him about the character, the brief was minimal. "The only thing I was told was that he is a fanboy who is obsessed with a superstar and would do anything for her," he recounts. Rather than arrive with a fixed idea, he preferred to explore the character with the director gradually. "Divya Prabha was given Philomina as a reference for her character, Desdemona. The reference given to me was Aaraattannan," he says with a laugh. When he first read the script, not every layer was immediately clear to him. The character, he explains, only fully revealed itself once they watched the rough cut together.
Masthishka Maranam also satirises obsessive celebrity culture, though Rahul says he did not need to do any particular research. "If you just open Instagram, you will see plenty of examples. That culture already exists around us," he remarks. Krishand's only instruction was to avoid imitating any specific person. Comedy plays a major role in the film, and Rahul admits that humour always brings a certain anxiety. "I love doing comedy, but there was always insecurity about whether it would land properly, especially with my features," he says candidly. Timing, he believes, depends greatly on fellow actors. "In this film, alongside me, I had Niranj (Maniyanpilla Raju) and Vishnu Agasthya, who really understand how to land a moment. When you work with people who can receive what you're giving and respond the right way, the confidence comes naturally," he explains.
The challenge of the look
If the humour flowed relatively easily, the physical preparation was far more demanding. "The biggest challenge was the wig. I already have a receding hairline, so setting it properly took quite a bit of time each day," he says. One of the looks required a costume that took several hours to assemble. "It was almost like wearing a full bodysuit, and sitting in it for long hours was exhausting," he recalls.
The climax sequence proved particularly taxing. "We shot that portion for about seven days, and every day I had to go through the entire make-up process again," he says. What helped, he reflects, was the commitment of the senior actors around him. "Jagadish ettan was there for all seven days. He did not have many lines in that sequence, but his commitment was absolute. When you are surrounded by that level of dedication, you forget the physical discomfort," he says.
A journey with Krishand
Rahul's association with Krishand dates back to 2014, when the filmmaker moved from Mumbai to Kochi. At the time, Krishand was not a familiar name in the Malayalam film industry. "But the stories he used to narrate were very different from what we usually heard," Rahul says. Over time, the professional collaboration grew into something more personal. "In many ways, he has become like a brother, even a mentor," he reflects.
After completing a degree in civil engineering and later an MBA, Rahul initially worked in finance before gradually shifting to acting. "I always had the desire to act, but in the beginning, I did not know how to pursue it," he says. Alongside his work with Krishand, he also collaborated with friends Arjun Ratan and Jeevan Stephen from his MBA days on projects connected to the online platform Karikku. Even now, he continues to balance acting with a construction business.
Working with the Big Ms, and what lies ahead
Rahul has also worked with two of Malayalam cinema’s biggest stars, Mammootty and Mohanlal. “Being able to share the screen with two legends I admire so much is something I will cherish for the rest of my life,” he says. Recalling his time on Monster, Rahul says Mohanlal’s command over dialogue left a lasting impression. “The way he handles long stretches of dialogue with such ease is a learning experience in itself,” he notes.
His connection with Mammootty, he recounts, goes further back. Rahul had appeared as a junior artist in Madhura Raja, though their interactions became more frequent only later. “It was after Aavasavyuham that he started noticing me. During the shoot of Turbo, I got the chance to interact with him more closely,” he says. Recalling a visit to the sets of Kaathal - The Core, he added, “When Krishand ettan told him about Purusha Pretham, his first reaction was, ‘Why didn’t you guys pitch it to me first?’”
Rahul says his journey has also included a few missed opportunities. One that still stands out is Ponman. “Jothish (Shankar) ettan had seriously considered me for it since I am from Kollam, but at that time I was caught between the schedules of Mammookka’s Turbo and Kondal,” he recalls. Even so, he does not dwell too much on what might have been. “I do not see it as a destination. It is a journey, and you go with the flow and take the characters as they come,” he says.
Looking ahead, Rahul has a small role in the Mammootty-Mohanlal starrer Patriot and has also briefly shot for Amal Neerad’s Bachelor Part Deux. He is currently preparing for Krishand’s next film starring Tovino Thomas and Darshana Rajendran. “I need to undergo a physical transformation for Krishand ettan’s next, so I have already begun preparing,” he says, describing the project as a multi-genre family drama with a more commercial structure while still retaining Krishand’s signature style.