Shashankan is a character that no one can forget who has seen Roshak. Kyle is a rugged man walking around with a stubbled, lazy-looking look and feel. But there are many mysteries inside him. Kottayam Nazir plays one of the main characters in the film, Shashankan. Apart from being an actor and mime artist, he is also a good painter with the features of Shashankan in Manorama Online.
Do you know Shashank in daily life?
Let’s say there is. Because knowingly or unknowingly, Shashankan becomes a part of mistakes. There is a sense of helplessness around him. We can see this helplessness in many people around us. We all have friends who often say they are ‘broken’ for a variety of reasons.
Is this a very different role from what you have done before?
Yes, a normal person without a make-up look. Kylie is an ordinary person who is bald and bends her torso. His look, walk and posture are like that. After watching the whole movie, I felt that the life of a common man has been captured in the same way in Shashankan. Dull make-up and Kylie used it as part of an attempt to show it all accurately. All that helped me become that character.
Has Shashankan in Roshak entered a big change in the film industry?
Like everyone else, I watched a lot of movies during the Covid period. I watched the pictures I did over and over again. Lessons learned from my failures. I realized that the gestures of mimicry were coming through. Let’s say I did a critique and analysis on myself. It can be said that I saw the two-year break as a time to mentally mature myself. It can also be said that this maturity has been seen in Roshak.
Other characters in Roshak?
I felt the uniqueness of the characters in this is that everyone is going through each and every moment of life. Generally in our films the person who says comedy does just that. Or a Kalipan, we see many such roles. In this, we cannot see someone as a character who does only one thing. Everyone is living their own life. Everyone goes through every condition. That seems to me to be one thing that can be said.
With Mammootty?
There was some long dialogue on screen with Mammooka. Learned it correctly and was able to take it in one take. When Mammooka saw it, he congratulated her saying that it is great, well studied and done. I see that as a great recognition. The script was read three times. Therefore, it was possible to study it correctly. Later, he saw many of the takes I was doing at the locations, and after seeing all that, he often came up to me and encouraged me saying it was good and awesome. And his comments were also said.
One day in the middle of the shoot, he asked me, ‘What did you give the director to get this role?’ He asked jokingly, ‘How did the director get soaped up?’ In fact, I spoke to the director for the first time when he called me for this film. When I told that to Mammooka, he said, ‘If I am asked to play a role other than my role in this, I will choose Shashank. That is a great credit to me.
With the Roshack team?
Nizam Basheer, the director, gave full support to become that character while the shoot of Roshak was going on. Every time you join a new crew you think about how it’s going and what they want. While acting in a movie, some scenes are acted with over expression. Many people ask for it. They may be calling us after seeing our performance in the past. But within the first few days of the set, we usually understand what they want and go with it. Or they will tell us to do it. Here, from the very beginning, the director himself dictated how much look and how much movement was needed. No more expression needed. A short glance is enough. He thought about how one normally behaves and said that the same is enough. All that helped me a lot to act as Shashank.
Was there hope?
of course. All those who were with me said after every scene that this film will be released. There was a little hope when the director also said it every now and then. And instead of being a hit, I wanted to be a part of a hit movie from the beginning. What I love most is knowing that it is noticed. Because there is a new thought in this film. Hope everyone will accept it. Also happy when the audience who saw the film calls and hears good comments from them.
Is cinema taking over theaters after covid?
Yes, glad to. The other day I saw Roshak in Kavitha. Sanju was with me. We enjoyed the movie along with the audience. I often told Sanju that when I saw the film, I was the villain in it. We see such good making in Roshak.
Now to the mime scene?
The past two years have been a time when we have all changed our minds. Likewise, I had completely moved away from mimicry at that time. New artists came there now. In fact, instead of competing with them, I slowly focused on my other favorite field, cinema.