Vineeth’sdancing feet took him to tinsel town as a teenager. Once he reached there, he wowed his fans with his acting skills and soon became that unusual combination of an accomplished dancer and an award-winning actor. After a short break, Vineeth returns to Malayalam cinema in the role of a Kathakali artiste in Kamboji . He also turns choreographer in the film. And Kamboji is that rare film in Malayalam that has four accomplished dancers in the cast. And for a reason. The movie narrates the story of a romance that blossoms in the kalari of a village steeped in art and its tragic aftermath.
Vineeth plays the lead role of Kunjunni along with Lakshmi Gopalaswamy as Uma Antharjanam. Keeping them company are dancers and actors Sona Nair and Rachana Narayanakutty. Based on a true story that took place in the seventies, Kamboji , directed by Vinod Mankara and produced by Lakshmi Padmanabhan, is a celebration of music and performing arts of Kerala.
In an interview on phone, Vineeth talks excitedly about his character and his new role as choreographer wherein he visualised ‘Chenthar Nermukhi...’, a melodious number, in the film; one that blends Mohiniyattam and Kathakali without violating the borders of either.
Admitting that such characters are hard to find in present-day Malayalam cinema, he says that he enjoyed the journey immensely. Excerpts from the interview...
It is after a while that you are doing a role in which you also appear as a dancer?
Kunjunni is a dream-come- true for any actor and dancer. I am trained in Bharatanatyam and learnt Mohiniyattam as a kid. But I learnt Kathakali to enact certain roles in films that have become classics in Malayalam cinema. The gurus who taught me Kathakali were masters of the art form and so I got the opportunity to learn from the best in the field.
Vinod had done a lot of research for this film and he is well-versed in nuances of Kathakali and Mohiniyattam. So he was insistent that all the dance scenes had to be authentic moves in Kathakali and Mohiniyattam.
Vineeth
Photo: H. Vibhu
You have acted similar roles in previous movies such as Kamaladalam and Parinayam …
I acted as a student of Kerala Kalamandalam in Kamaladalam, while I donned the vesham and performed Kathakali in Parinayam . Narayanankutty, a senior faculty member of Kalamandalam, was our consultant for Kathakali during the shooting of Kamboji . What was interesting was that during the shooting of Kamaladalam on the premises of Kerala Kalamandalam, Narayanankutty was then a student there and he had appeared in some of the scenes as my friend. It was nice to work with him again. Many of the students who had acted with me in Kamaladalam are now Kathakali artistes and faculty members in Kalamandalam.
Since it is based on a true life incident, did you do any independent research for the role?
Vinod had worked extensively on the script. The real-life story on which the movie is based lends itself to a tragic but unforgettable story. Here is a Kathakali artiste and a Mohiniyattam connoisseur who develops a spiritual bond that eventually transforms into a romance. However, certain incidents create friction and turn Kunjunni into a villain.
It is true that a Kathakali artiste was sentenced to death in Kerala and his last wish was to be hanged while wearing his full Kathakali vesham. Kamboji was inspired by that story. I had a wonderful director in Vinod and my co-actors were par excellence in their portrayal of their characters, be it Lakshmi or Sona Nair.
How was it like to choreograph such a melodious number ‘Chenthar Nermukhi...’, scored so beautifully by none other than M. Jayachandran?
The music and the story are going to make the film memorable. We were blessed to have ONV Kurup sir’s lyrics and singers like K.J. Yesudas, Bombay Jayasree, Sreevalsan J. Menon and K.S. Chitra.
The music composer has come up with such haunting, melodious numbers that it is difficult to choose which is the best of the lot. ONV sir’s ‘Sruthi Cheramo’, sung by Das ettan [Yesudas] is a classic number.
What I have choreographed is a duet sung by Chitra chechi and Sreevalsan sir. I had to meld mudras and movements of Kathakali and Mohiniyattam without violating the framework of either. It was not easy since I was also performing with Lakshmi but I enjoyed it a great deal. Vinod and I worked together to plan each segment to be shot and it is one of the most beautiful sequences in the film. I must thank Kala Master for her generosity in helping me during the shooting. Some portions of the song in which I don a Kathakali vesham were shot in Palakkad and some in Kuthiramalika in Thiruvananthapuram.
What was the most memorable moment in the film?
There were many and it is difficult to isolate just one. It was an intense journey with the character of Kunjunni. One of the most important scenes in the film unfolds to the music of ‘Harinaakshi...’, a piece from ‘Keechakavadham’ set in Kamboji raga. It captures Kunjunni’s transformation when circumstances change the artiste and romantic into a villain. During the dubbing I just broke down... it was that intense a scene!
I hope viewers get the chance to see this movie in theatres because I believe such films must be made, watched and encouraged.
