He’s barely taken a breather from all the congratulations that have come his way for his Kerala State Film Award. Now, the National Film Awards have been announced and once again Malayalam actor Jayasurya finds himself caught in a whirlwind of adulation, after clinching another Special Jury Award for his impressive performances in Su… Su..Sudhi Vathmeekam and Lukka Chuppi . When we finally catch up with the actor over the phone from Wayanad, where he is shooting a film, he sounds ecstatic and a bit gobsmacked too.
“I have always been the runner-up, never the winner; always missing out on awards by a whisker. It happened with Beautiful , it happened with Apothecary …I had almost resigned myself to that fate for Su..Su.. and Lukka Chuppi too, especially because the competition was particularly tight this year and I was up against the likes of actors I admire and respect such as Amitabh Bachchan. I’m astounded that I actually won and that too a national award. It’s my Oscar!” says a gleeful Jayasurya.
The actor, who debuted in a lead role with Oomappenninu Uriyadappayyan (2002), playing a speech and hearing impaired youngster, has since then made a name for himself in Mollywood for his experimental roles and dyed-in-the-wool potboilers alike. Su..Su.. and Lukka Chuppi… are prime examples of the actor going off the beaten track.
Su..Su.. , directed by Ranjith Sankar and produced by Jayasurya and the director himself, is the heart-wrenching story of Sudhi, a guy who stammers. “During the shoot of Su..Su.. , Ranjith and I used to joke about how the film has the potential for state and national honours. I had jokingly told him that if I do win a national award, I would call to thank him only after I had spoken to everyone else! He shook hands over it and we even clicked a photo to mark it. We ended up congratulating each other during a television interview,” says Jayasurya, with a laugh.
Lukka Chuppi , directed by Bash Mohammed, meanwhile, tells the story of a college reunion that could prove disastrous for the personal lives of four friends who meet up after 14 years. Jayasurya plays Raghuram, an alcoholic in the film. “We had to do spot dubbing – Resul Pokkutty was handling the sync sound – and I had to sustain that momentum of the character from the word go. I don’t have the histrionic skills of Mohanlal or Mammooty, who would have each pulled it off with ease. So, it was a very challenging role, which made me all the more determined to perfect it. All that effort finally paid off,” says Jayasurya.
The actor adds that he yearns to play more such “good characters” that give him scope to perform.
