He was part of experimental movement of both Kannada theatre and cinema. Name any important film maker and theatre director in Kannada, he has worked with them. He has also acted in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam films and worked with prominent film makers in those languages. Sundarraj is easily among the the stalwarts of Kannada cinema.
Sundarraj has left an indelible mark with his performance in films such as Kaadu, Chomana Dudi, Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane, Ondanondu Kaladalli , and plays such as Hayavadana, Jokumaraswamy, Sattaravara Neralu, and Gokula Nirgamana directed by the doyen of Indian theatre B.V. Karanth. He can very well be described as Bahuroopi for having donned the hats of theatre and cinema.
Doing running of the mill romantic or action movies was not of Sundarraj’s liking. He recently completed his 200th film, Lift Man, in his four decade old career in South Indian cinema.
“In a way Lift man provided me an opportunity to test the actor in me -- he is not dead, but still alive and kicking,” says Sundarraj without mincing words.
Lift Man was recently screened in the ninth edition of Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) and was screened at Goa International Film Festival.
Like many actors of the 70s, Sundarraj is also a product of both amateur and professional theatre. Originally from Srirangam of Tiruchirapalli, Sundarraj’s parents settled in Bangalore. He studied in National College, and got naturally attracted towards theatre and Yedakallugudda Chandrashekar. He had acted in Vamshavriksha and introduced Sundarraj to Karanth. At that point, he was looking for a suitable actor to essay the role of Kapila in Hayavadana. His association with Karanth, which began with Hayavadana , continued for long and he acted in many plays directed by him during the Seventies. He also worked as associate director to Karanth, Karnad, T.S. Nagabharana and T.S. Ranga and others.
Sundarraj, was closely associated with Om Puri: they became friends on the sets of Chor Chor Chup Jaa , a tele-film for children. Without any hesitation, Sundarraj admits that he learnt a lot from Om Puri, who was educated both in National School of Drama and Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. He essayed the role of Yengta in the Hindi film Godhuli ( Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane in Kannada).
Besides working for stalwarts of Kannada cinema, Sundar Raj has also worked with Tamil filmmakers -- , Mani Rathnam ( Pallavi Anupallavi starring Anil Kapoor ), K. Balachandar ( Thappu Talangal ), J. Mahendra and others. He essayed an important role in Kayar, a Malayalam tele-serial by M.S. Sathyu and few Hindi and Telugu films. His other important films in Kannada include Banker Margayya, Bangarada Jinke, Udbhava, Mysuru Mallige.
"Karanth used to call me Peter, after an endearing character in a children’s play he directed. Many people of those days still affectionately call me Peter. For Karnad, I am just Sundar. The two of them, Karanth and Karnad, are like two sides of a coin for me,” he warmly recollects his association with them.
His 200th film Lift Man is in news because it is based on the story of Kaverappa, a lift man in the north-entrance of Vidhana Soudha, who retired from service recently after serving for nearly two decades. Kaverappa, stood shoulder to shoulder with chief ministers in 8ft x 5ft metal box and shared silent moments with some of the great personalities including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Sundarraj essayed role of Kaverappa in the film.
“ Lift Man is tell-all tale of a lift operator, who spent more time in a lift than at his home, it is a story of Manjappa (Sundarraj), who has seen an ordinary party worker becoming a minister. He has seen people, who are friends turning foes and vice-versa. He has seen love blooming inside the lift. In fact, it happens to his life too in the film. There are a lot of humane interactions in this story,” says Karanji Sridhar, director of the film.
Sridhar’s friend Chandra Barkur who scripted the film met Kaverappa along with the maker and wrote the screenplay for the film. "For visual representation we needed incidents and that is why Kaverappa has just become an inspiration for this film and the lift is a metaphor for life. The story unfolds the strange, emotional and mechanical aspects of the life of a lift man,” explains Sridhar.
Ask Sridhar, what made him opt for Sundarraj. "Despite being an actor in all kinds of films for more than four decades Sundarraj is one of the brilliant actors in the country, and has not got the recognition he deserved. When we finished the script, his was the first name that came to our mind,” he admits.
Sundarraj, still loves to play the characters he played in the Seventies.
The last time he really enjoyed acting was in the 80s, when he did a remarkable role in Anveshane directed by Nagabharana. “After that it is Lift Man. With age catching up only certain kind of roles can be enjoyed,” he says.
