Life has been revolving around two Ms for Tiny Tom – mimicry and Mammootty. Mimicry and Tiny have been inseparable for over 15 years now; he has lost count of the number of times he has imitated Mammootty, who is “now more like a brother.” Now he adds another M to it – movies, which have given a new lease of life to the actor in him. Pranchiyettan and the Saint (2010) set the ball rolling in 2010 followed by Indian Rupee and Beautiful . And more are in the offing.
But instead of saying, “I have a busy schedule these days,” Tiny tells us, “I'm absolutely relaxed.” He explains, “Being an actor is definitely easier than being the creative head of a comedy show/mimics programme. You have to find a theme, work carefully on it so that the comedy doesn't fall flat, and, of course, coordinate the team. Now, I have no such worries. I just have to go to a location, say my dialogues and take rest.”
Today, he can even afford to be choosy. “Thanks to my stage experience, I now know the pulse of the Malayali audience. I know which role will click with viewers and have rejected a few unexciting roles,” he says.
Variety is what he looks for. “I was a Thrissur-native in Pranchiyettan… , CH of Indian Rupee was from Kozhikode and in Beautiful I was a Kottayam achayan . I plan to ensure this variety in my future projects as well.” He plays a Congress worker in T.K. Rajivkumar's Thatsamayam Oru Penkutty , a DYFI activist in Haridas's Veendum Kannur , a Kottayam Christian in debutante Anish's Mullamottum Mundiricharum and leader of a quotation gang in Deepan's Hero .”
Beginnings
He was supposed to become an advocate. “My father is an engineer, mother is a graduate and my sister (Tincy), a doctor. I was sent to Bangalore to study law.” Then? “I came back as a judge of a mimicry programme.” And law? “I still haven't cleared a couple of papers, you know?” he says with a hearty laugh. The mimicry bug bit him during his pre-degree days at St Albert's College, Kochi. “My senior, Soyuz, taught me the art. Interestingly, later, I beat him at the University Youth Festival!” Tiny says. Maharaja's College was a fertile ground for his mimicry conquests. He grew up as a professional mimicry artiste, worked with a couple of troupes and Naadirshah made him part of the TV show Cinemala .
Breakthrough
“Cinema was like reaching for the stars, while doing mimicry programmes, comedy shows on the miniscreen ( Five Star Thattukada , Savari Giri Giri etc) and stage shows. A few movies did happen – like Mimics Action 500 and Pattalam .” Then stepped in Ranjith. Tiny became part of Paleri Manickyam:Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha. His role was to stand in as a double for Mammootty, who essayed three roles in the movie. “I told Ranjith, ‘I have already ‘sold' my body and voice (he dubbed for the villain in Kutty Sranku ). Why can't you use my face also?' He said he would consider. And he did.”
Pranchiyettan… changed his profile. “On the sets were National Award winners – Mammootty, Priyamani and Venu (cinematographer)– and a host of seasoned artistes and crew members. And there I was! Someone who has not even won a local award! The 40-day shoot was indeed a crash course in acting for me.”
Mimicry
Mimicry sharpens one's powers of observation. There has to be a mimicry artiste in every actor so as to get into a role, Tiny says. But he abhors using vulgarity to raise laughs. “I've never ever used vulgar dialogues and the goodwill has kept me in good stead. Has Sreenivasan ever attempted dialogues with double meaning to make you laugh? He is the best.”
Mammootty
“We share the same physique and so my attempt at imitating him clicked. Today, he is the one whom I turn to for suggestions and advices. He has taught me that family comes first.”
What's in a name?
Why Tiny Tom? “I was named ‘tiny', meaning small. Perhaps, my parents never thought I'd grow up so tall! In school, I changed the pronunciation.”
