After starting out with character roles in films like Salaaga and Bheema, Jayasurya R Azad is ready to play the lead in The Task. Directed by Raghu Shivammoga, the film releases on November 21, and Jayasurya believes this will advance his career in cinema.
“I’m in search of luck, and I believe The Task might be that turning point. This project has given me a prominent role and my acting skills were truly tested. It will probably become the most important film of my career. That said, I wouldn’t have gotten this role without Salaga and Bheema,” says Jayasurya.
In The Task, Jayasurya plays a man burdened by societal pressures. His character reflects the emotional weight many felt during the pandemic. “My character is someone who’s suppressed by the world around him. Sagar Ram, another character in the story, is equally oppressed. Both struggle to break free, and through their journeys, there’s a message of change,” he explains. “The film also shows the unseen effects of the pandemic—the loneliness, the heart issues, the trauma that still lingers.”
Jayasurya has a personal connection to this theme. “I lost some of my best friends during COVID. I also lost my dance master. So when I read the script, I felt the grief, the silence, the need to find meaning again,” he shares. “We’ve all been through something, and The Task channels that feeling.”
He credits director Raghu Shivammoga for helping him grow. “Raghu directed my short film years ago, so our bond goes back a long way,” says Jayasurya, adding, “When I started working on The Task, I was like clay, and he shaped me. I used to be afraid of the camera, but he helped me get over it completely. He turned me into an actor.”
Balancing his love for cinema with his law studies, Jayasurya sees connections between both fields. “Law teaches you principles and discipline, and cinema has its own set of rules too. I think understanding both helps me bring honesty and structure into my work,” he reflects.
Produced by E Ramanna and Vijay Kumar under the banner of Lokapujya Picture House, the film's cinematography is by Pradeep Padma Kumar, and music is by Judah Sandhy. For Jayasurya, the main goal is clear: “More than asking people to watch the film, I want the idea behind it to reach them. My task is to give my best and let luck find me on its own.”
