The ‘villain’ is back … with a bang !
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The ‘bad guy’ who left Tamil to make waves in Telugu returned as Adiseshan in ‘Sivaji.’ Suman Talwar’s homecoming has been sweet. W. Sreelalitha
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I learnt that life is not easy, and that one should expect hurdles.
SHOT IN THE ARM: Suman Talwar in Sivaji
When he was in Class IV, his mother bought him a table lamp. Inquisitive, he touched the filament. And, ended up with a painful, bulbous little index finger.
A few decades later, the curious boy was to become an iconic villain in Tamil tinseldom. After donning the greasepaint in 1977 for ‘Neechal Kulam,’ he left for the Telugu industry in 1981. However, Suman Talwar has returned to Kollywood. And, in style!
It began with a call from director Shankar’s office one fine morning last October. “I stood there stunned, when they asked me if I would play the negative lead in ‘Sivaji’,” Suman recalls. A shaven head, white dhoti and shirt, and a toothy smile later, Adiseshan (the ‘Sivaji’ villain) was born.
Big banner
A big banner, a happening director and the hottest star. Was there pressure? “Not at all. Producers AVM Saravanan and M.S.Guhan treated me like a prince, and Shankar kept track of every move of mine. As for Rajinikanth, I can’t thank him enough. When I was nervous initially, he told me we were Sivaji and Adiseshan, and not Rajini and Suman. And, this worked wonders for me. He would call up even at night with words of appreciation and encouragement.”
In awe of Shankar’s eye for detail, Suman recalls how the director met a dentist for a minor dental modification for Suman’s role in ‘Sivaji.’ “I didn’t expect a director of his stature to take such care about the villain’s teeth.”
Suman, who had no film background, has seen 30 summers in the Southern film industry, and is already 300 films old. But, why did he leave Tamil films in the first place? “Given my exposure to kalari payattu and training in karate, my friend Bhanuchandar said that I should give Telugu films a shot.” His first Telugu film, ‘Tarangini’ (1981), ran for a year. There has been no looking back ever since.
In between action-packed roles in Telugu and Kannada, the Tulu-speaking actor also donned the divine garb. He recollects being uneasy about the unnatural shift from being an action hero to playing god. “I was worried [wondering whether] the audience would accept me. However, when the educated lot folded their hands in obeisance right after the premiere of the first film, I knew I had passed the test.” Since then he has played many roles, including Lord Venkateswara (‘Annamayya’) and Lord Rama (‘Sri Ramadasu’).
Hailing from a family of teachers, this English Literature graduate from Pachaiyappa’s College in Chennai says his film journey was bumpy.
Nevertheless, the field taught him discipline, and to learn from mistakes. “The courage my mother gave me saw me through very difficult times. I learnt that life is not easy, and that one should expect hurdles.” Though his family is his support system, he does not bring professional and personal life together.
But, are his family members his critics too? “Yes. Actually, I get feedback from three generations: my 11-year-old daughter Prathyusha; wife Sirisha, and mother-in-law,” he chuckles. “In fact, when my daughter saw me in ‘Sivaji,’ she roared: ‘Oh my god! Look at your teeth!’”
Has the Tamil industry changed since he last worked in it? “Definitely. It is not conservative anymore; the treatment is modern. Furthermore, what with the immense talent and the passionate young crowd, the work here is highly innovative. Dignity of labour too has improved. Unlike in the Telugu industry, there are no ego clashes here. Everyone from the artist to the technician goes about his job without having to be told,” he says.
So what kind of roles does he want to play? “Any role [which will have an impact]. Even negative roles, so long as there is a strong reason for the vice.”
In the pipeline
The actor with a Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and a Malayalam film in the pipeline tells youngsters just this: “There’s no room for instant result in this field. Put in your best efforts, and wait. Learn from your seniors and never give up.”
It is almost midnight, and Suman has been chatting for over an hour: smiling and engaging, despite no dinner. So, we finally decided to wind up. Of course, not without one last question.
Sum up Suman in a few words? “Shy and determined,” he smiles. May we add warm and unassuming?
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