Sanju Samson may have skipped making his acting debut in the recently released Malayalam entertainer Athiradi, but not without leaving the audience laughing about it first. The Indian cricketer revealed at the film’s Tamil trailer launch in Chennai that he had turned down an offer to appear in the film because the role offered to him was “too small”.
Speaking at the event, actor-filmmaker Basil Joseph disclosed that the makers had initially approached Sanju for a cameo appearance in the film. “We had called Sanju for a cameo role in this film. But he rejected it immediately,” Basil said jokingly.
Sanju, who attended the event amid his ongoing IPL commitments, responded in equally humorous fashion. “They approached me for a small role in the film, but I told them that if I ever act, it should be a slightly bigger role,” he said with a smile.
The cricketer also spoke warmly about his long-standing friendship with Basil. “Basil is a friend whom I have known for several years. When we spend time, he is getting to know how I am as a cricketer, and I am getting to know how he is as a movie star,” Sanju said.
Describing Basil as someone who balances humour with discipline, Sanju added, “Basil is always casual. He is loved by everyone and is always cheerful, but he is a very serious guy when it comes to his profession. When it comes to work, he becomes very strict.”
He further revealed how organised Basil is with his schedules. “When I finish a tour and come here and invite him for dinner, he will say, ‘You are saying now. You should have told me one week ago. We plan my whole week accordingly.’”
Sanju also praised the effort Basil has invested in the film, which marks the first production venture of Basil Joseph Entertainment. “I know the amount of effort he must have put in. I know that if he commits to something, it will be 100 per cent from his heart. I know the quality will be there. When quality is there, people will love it, and that is why I am here supporting it,” he said.
The cricketer added that he plans to watch the film in both Malayalam and Tamil. Continuing the light-hearted exchange, Sanju said, “After every game, Basil calls me and tells me, ‘You shouldn’t have played this shot’, or you should have played this one. Likewise, I too will watch the film and tell him, ‘This scene isn’t working’.” When asked if he critiques Basil often, Sanju quipped, “I will call him and give him motivation. I won’t say negative things. After all, he is a friend.”
Sanju is currently part of the Chennai Super Kings’ IPL campaign and has been in impressive form this season. The wicketkeeper-batter has scored 450 runs from 12 matches so far, including two centuries and a half-century. With six wins and six losses, Chennai presently sit sixth on the points table and will need victories in their remaining two matches to strengthen their playoff hopes.
Athiradi brings Basil and Tovino Thomas back together for the first time after Minnal Murali, which the former directed and the latter starred in. Notably, the film marked the directorial debut of the co-writer of the superhero venture, Arun Anirudan. The Tamil dubbed version is set to hit theatres on May 22.
