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Director's actor

What makes Jeeva tick in tinseldom?

QUICK LEARNER Jeeva

Raam helped Jeeva discover the actor in him. And, there has been no stopping him after that. The `Best Actor' award at the Cyprus International Film Festival (CIFF)-2006 has only goaded him to give his best.

"I am a director's actor," says Jeeva, who believes in doing a lot of homework before emoting in front of the camera. "I never expected Raam to give me such a break. All the credit goes to director Ameer who moulded me," he says.

For his next flick Dishyum, where he played a stuntman, Jeeva learnt gymnastics. His dancing ability came forth in the pulsating Dilamo dilamo number. The actor thanks choreographer Chinni Prakash for that. Then came Aran, produced by his dad R. B. Choudhary of Super Good Films. Jeeva played a commando along with veteran actor Mohanlal. Although the movie did decent business in Tamil, it was the Malayalam version, Kirtichakra, which rocked the box-office.

"Shooting in Kashmir was an amazing experience. The interaction with the soldiers was very inspiring," he recounts.

Jeeva also cherishes working alongside Mohanlal, whom he considers one of the best in the country. "He is a genius!"

Overwhelmed by the response to his latest flick E, where he plays a ruffian and go-getter who will do anything for money, Jeeva is all praise for director S.P. Jhananathan. "It is great to work in a National Award winner's film. The story deals with a new subject — biological warfare and bio-terrorism. The support it has got in rural areas is pleasing," he adds.

Despite being a son of a renowned producer, acting was an accident. "My father, known to encourage young talent, believed that I was hero material. Given his experience, his predictions hardly go wrong," he quips. Jeeva is now working on Pori and Tamizh M.A, where the storylines are new. "I just hope to continue the good run," he signs off.

G. PRASAD

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