Guru Somasundaram, the actor you know for cameos in films like Aaranya Kaandam and Jigarthanda , is now playing the main lead in Joker , the second film of Raju Murugan, who previously made Cuckoo . You know he’s playing the hero because he is reluctant to talk about his age. In his defence, he says, “I’ve never wanted to make that public.” He also shyly reveals that he wondered if he should change his name. That’s how much playing a lead role means to him. “But better sense prevailed, and I thought I’ll just retain this name. In any case, I’m not very good at branding myself.” And more importantly, not interested too. Thankfully though, his performance in Aaranya Kaandam has taken care of his public relations. “I’m not sure how I’d be getting all these roles otherwise.”
Joker has been promoted as a comedy so far. “Yes, but I don’t run around like a clown, trying to make the audience laugh. The comedy is rather ironic. My track in Jigarthanda was a bit like that.”
He also ruefully points out that even though he performed his character in Aaranya Kaandam seriously, the audience found the portrayal funny. “At least here (in Joker ), we intend my character to be funny. For instance, imagine you are in a bus and the conductor has asked you to wait for the balance amount. Most times, people just forget this money and walk away. But imagine if you made a fuss about it and demanded your money back. Though it’s a serious issue, you will find people laughing.”
Somasundaram is now living in Thiruvannamalai, a curious choice of destination for an active Tamil actor. Interestingly enough, his living in this town could well have landed him the lead role in Joker . “Director Raju Murugan came home to ask if I wanted to play another character in the film, a rather old man. During narration, he noted the rather simplistic way in which I lead life. He noted how ordinary I was, how laidback my lifestyle was. I think this affected him on some level; just a few days later, he called to ask if I wanted to play the hero instead.” For, the hero of Joker is a simpleton like me.
I ask if he wishes that more scripts like Joker were written in Tamil cinema, if only so unexpected heroes, like him, could arise. “I won’t just blame the writers. In our industry, actors, after a certain age, lose fitness. I’m not talking about maintaining six-pack abs. Some are unable to even stand or walk for too long before getting fatigued.”
Even though Somasundaram is among the more fitter actors, he wasn’t sure that he would really be cast in the main role. “I returned to Raju for repeated assurances that I would be doing the lead role. Cinema is business, after all, and I wouldn’t blame the producers for wanting somebody with more celebrity status.”
There were no hiccups though, and shooting for Joker is almost complete now. Somasundaram, who awaits the release of other films like Bobby Simha-starrer Paambhu Sattai and Manikandan’s Kuttrame Thandanai , is happy with what he’s done. “All these years I’ve been approached for a paavapatta character.” Something Somasundaram prays will change after the release of Joker .
