They rule the stage when they’re on it, connecting intimately with an audience that’s there for the love of theatre. They take on different roles and prepare for months before bringing them alive. Over years, they chisel themselves to fit into any character, and get into the ‘zone’ with ease. And then, everything unravels when they decide to try their luck in tinsel town.
From feted artistes, they turn newcomers who are asked to audition, and told to perform without any reference material, anathema to actors. They live on the fringes of stardom, waiting for that one role which will change their lives on screen, even as they continue working on stage, where their heart is. MetroPlus meets five such actors, who strive to strike a balance between the two forms.
Even some years ago, before he got the trump card called Aaranya Kaandam and the more recent Joker , Guru Somasundaram had a policy. He would never audition without a script. “People would look strangely at me. But, I would walk out. The script is the basic building block. How can you act without one?” There are times when Arjun Chidambaram, of Moone Moonu Varthai and Rum fame, walks in to audition, hoping to get at least a dialogue sheet. Invariably, he’s told “ edhaavadhu panni kaaminga-ji ” “Those words kill me. But, I’ve learnt to cope; I give them what they want, invariably a dialogue from a yesteryear blockbuster,” says the youngster. Many a time, Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli, who has starred in movies and in festival circuit films such as Revelations , has returned from an audition hoping that if she’s not selected, at least it is someone who did a better job. They are not afraid of rejection, but of not knowing why they were. There’s learning in that, they say.
Life has turned around completely for Somasundaram, who says people now shortlist roles before approaching him. And, he’s an inspiration of sorts for people, including Darshana Rajendran of Ctrl Alt Del fame, who debuted in Tamil with Moone Moonu Varthai , and Abishek Joseph George ( Demonte Colony ), who will shortly be seen in My Son is Gay . When we see Guru, we know that there is a possibility to get where he has gone. That theatre actors can make it too, they say.
Stagecraft
While all of them admit the stage has sharpened their craft and made them hungry as performers, Somasundaram says that performance is the only commonality. “Everything else, including the process, is different. For instance, a scene in Joker , where I’m to turn a bend on my moped, was shot on October 28, 2015. The shot where I actually turn was taken on April 12, 2016. An extra kilogram of weight would have shown on my face!” he laughs.
In a way, theatre actors giving their all to a role ends up working against them, sometimes. “It is strange to be questioned for wanting to do well,” says Chidambaram. “Not many people recognise us in person, because we keep changing the way we look to fit into a character. But, I look at their lack of recognising our effort as a compliment.” He experienced that first-hand in Rum , where his character got accolades, but even the person sitting next to him in the theatre did not recognise him
The long wait
Chandramouli, who played the lead in Vinodhini Vaidynathan’s Tamil play Aayirathiyoru Iravugal , and Somasundaram, a Koothu-p-Pattarai artiste, agree that ultimately what matters is landing a good project, with a director who will take your talent to the masses. Until then, it is a constant case of having to introduce oneself. Rajendran, whose next is Irumbu Thirai , has been active in theatre since 2011, and says that it is only after the web series that there is a flicker of recognition on people’s faces. What keeps actors going despite that is the innate discipline that theatre instils in them, and the ability to keep practising so that when the moment comes, you are not found wanting. “The next big role could be a call away,” says Chandramouli. “So, you pep yourself up, and keep seeking work.”
And, despite everything, all actors want is to keep their link to the stage alive. Says Somasundaram: “I will continue doing theatre. That’s home.”
Rajendran, who also stars in Kavan , says that the discipline, the ability to keep repeating something till you perfect it, is what is common to most actors from a theatre background. George, who made a name with Adhe Kangal , says that the greatest joy for all of them is getting into that space where you know you’ve given your best. “It’s not to prove anything to anyone. Theatre helps you reach the height of your potential.” And, movies take that potential to a wider audience.
Breaking stereotypes
One thing all the actors are clear about is doing all they can to go against the grain, and break stereotypes —the industry usually tends to think theatre actors are simple, can be paid low and can fit only supporting characters.
Somasundaram, for instance, who played an ageing man in Aaranya Kaandam , has taken a call to not play someone in that age profile any time soon. Chandramouli speaks of how theatre actors are usually offered similar roles, and how hard it is to break perceptions. That’s when Somasundaram mentions actors who are constantly slotted despite being talented. Chidambaram steps in to say how he’s often told he does not look like he will fit a villager’s role. “I wonder how they can take a call on that. I’d love the opportunity to prove that I can be what you think I cannot be.”
Rajendran says that, sometimes, people go by looks. “They wonder If I look like a village girl. Sometimes, fitting the look is all that matters; not the performance.” This is why, say the actors, there is a need for casting directors to come to the fore in Tamil cinema. Only then will actors be cast for parts, and not vice-versa.
Familiar faces
Vinodhini Vaidynathan
Karthik TMK
Pooja Devariya
Venkatesh Harinathan
Anand Sami
Mathivanan
Kalieswari
