Charle: Success is when directors think of me while writing characters
In the modern era, the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 virus was an unprecedented phenomenon. The entire world retreating into their homes, caused dire effects for people across age and economic demographic. The upcoming drama, Lockdown focuses on the story of an ordinary woman (Anupama Parameswaran), whose life is unimaginably impacted due to the lockdown.
Directed by AR Jeeva, the film also stars Nirosha and Charle as the parents of Anupama's character. In a conversation with CE, the pair discusses the performing arts, the challenge to perform better, and the impact of OTT.
Excerpts:
Nirosha, what was it about the story that made you agree to be part of this project?
Nirosha: Simple. I liked the story. The space to perform and the fact that this is based on something that happened in real life were some aspects that made me want to be part of this project. The character in Lockdown is also starkly different from the mothers you find in cinema. Playing a mother who would not react like a cinematic mother, but as a mother in real life would, was a big plus for me.
Also, I was shooting Lockdown and Lal Salaam simultaneously. But I had to put in a lot more work into this, because I was conscious about acting alongside performers like Anupama and Charle sir. The healthy push that I felt in wanting to improve my performance, made this a fun shoot.
Charle, you have had a long and varied career in films but you are still taking on more projects. What still drives you to make more films and stay busy?
Charle: There is a saying in Tamil, 'Piditha Velai Kalaipadaiyai Seyyadhu' (The work you like won't allow for exhaustion). Performing in cinema is something I like, but I also say 'No' to a lot of projects. That is something that most people don't realise. But what drives me is when a director has me in mind when writing for a character. That is my success.
So, how did director Jeeva convince you to take on this role in Lockdown?
C: Like everyone else, the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown was hard for me. But the incomparable loss I faced of losing my mother, still remains etched in my memory. When I listened to the story I realised that the director had built an entire tale around that trying time. After specifically discussing my character with the director, I liked and agreed to the project. A father's love for a daughter is not new in cinema, but the character shows a unique belief to his daughter, this was the main reason I said yes.
Nirosha, audiences still remember the comedy sequences from Priyamana Thozhi, which you shared with actor Livingston. Are you surprised by the continuous acclaim?
N: When I was shooting those scenes, director Vikraman sir told me that two reels were allotted. But we ended shooting 13 takes for certain scenes, with the director persisting until he was satisfied. But in certain instances, I wouldn't be satisfied by the end result and would ask for another take. Vikraman sir, really liked the initiative that I took.
Later, I got a call from the director during the film's premiere in Singapore. He told me to be on call, right before my scene was about to play. I was bewildered, unaware of what was happening on the other end. When I heard a lot of hooting and cheering from the background. He said, 'They are cheering for you. This is your scene and your moment.' Even when I recreated the scene for social media, the fact that users still had a lot of positives to say about it, was a surprise.
Are there any roles you wanted, but did not get?
N: I missed out on a lot of roles. But I look at all of them as learnings. These days characters are being written with unique nuances, and I would like to explore those too. I once experimented with an antagonist character in a serial, but that resulted in a lot of people questioning my decision. People who loved me, didn't accept that negative shade on me. So I stopped taking on characters with grey shades.
The rise of OTT as an option has split the audiences into two - those who prefer the theatres and those who prefer streaming. How do you expect the release of films to be impacted by this evolution?
N: I would like for the film to be well received in theatres. But I hope they revisit this on OTT too. The film covers a story, whose impact can be understood by all ages.
C: I appreciate the culture of watching films in itself. I am a man of the stage. So I am open to audiences consuming any kind of performing arts no matter the medium.
