Screen > The Business of Entertainment

					August 12, 2005

	THE INDIAN EXPRESS GROUP

ARCHIVE

MALAYALAM

INTERVIEW

Life in films

Unni R. Nair

Young Nischal is not at all new to films and the film industry. But the Jayaraj-directed film By The People, which is all ready for release, would see him in a new avtar, as a hero. This doesn’t mean that this young actor has been doing insignificant roles, not at all worth mentioning. Ever since he made his debut when he was just six-and-a-half years old, Nischal has been making his presence felt in films in his own way and has even bagged a State Award for his performance in a tele-serial. Hailing from Kumarapuram in Thiruvananthapuram, Nischal, the younger son of Chandramohan and Mani Mohan, did his schooling in Kuwait followed by higher secondary education at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Thiruvananthapuram. After doing his higher studies abroad, Nischal is now working in JP Morgan Chase, New York and is also running his own business, that of IT software and software exports. It is to be noted that Nischal began with playing the childhood of none other than Mohanlal and Mammootty. He had begun afresh as a grown-up actor with the Jayaraj-directed For The People (FTP), in which he played a somewhat notable role. And now, in By The People (BTP), which is a sequel to the highly successful FTP, he is being cast as one of the heroes. Let us hear more about him, his films, his dreams and aspirations from Nischal himself.
So, you made your entry as an actor playing Mohanlal’s childhood in Ayiththam, and that to when you were just six-and-a-half years old. How did that happen?
It was in 1985. At the housewarming ceremony of our house, I was noticed running about by MG Radhakrishnan, who is my father’s friend. He suggested to my father that I should try acting. I said ‘Yes’, but didn’t take it too seriously. Anyhow, when I was back in Kerala with my family next summer, I got a call from Venu Nagavally uncle inviting me to act in Ayiththam. I was surprised. Anyhow, I did the film and then left for Kuwait to continue my studies.

And then, after that?
When I was in Kerala during the Gulf War, one day Venu uncle gave me a call and asked me to come over to his house. And then he asked me to act in his film, Kizhakkunarum Pakshi, again as the childhood of the character played by Lalettan (Mohanlal). After that I again played Mohanlal’s childhood in the Rajeevnath-directed Aham. It was then that I was cast in the television-serial Chapalyam, directed by Mohandas. I played the key role, that of an inmate of a juvenile home, alongside Shanti Krishna. I was selected for the best child artiste award in that year’s (1992) State Television awards. And I should say that I am happy not just because I had got the award, but because I had won it the very same year it was instituted.

After Chapalyam and the award?
Then I played Mammootty’s childhood in the Joemon-directed Jackpot. It was then that I played Mohanlal’s sidekick in the Sangeeth Sivan-directed Gaandharvam. Then I got a chance to act in a Tamil film Kilipechchu Kelkkava, directed by Fazil sir and in this film once again I played Mammootty’s childhood. I also acted in the Indo-Swedish project Johnny, directed by Sangeeth Sivan. After that I acted in the KG George-directed Ilavancode Desham, playing a character named Baladevan, the heir prince of the kingdom of Ilavancode. That was when I was studying in the XII Standard, in my 18th year. With that ended my innings as a child actor. And it was then, after a break, that I did FTP.

How did that film happen?
I was in Kerala for my brother Deepak’s marriage. Deepak is a doctor settled in the US. I was here for more than a month when I got a call from production executive Anto Joseph, asking for a photograph of mine. He passed on my potograph and number to director Jayaraj, who called me later and talked about the film. It was a small role, but pretty good. And I enjoyed working with Jayaraj indeed. He is such a fabulous director and knows how to make the best use of a location.

And when you did FTP, it was perhaps very much evident that you would also be doing BTP, especially since FTP ends with a group comprising you and three others taking up the responsibility of fighting injustice. Isn’t it?
To an extent, yes.

So, how do you feel, after having done BTP?
In BTP, I am playing the lead character along with Samad, Santhosh Kaithapram and Bijoy. I know everybody is going to compare the film with FTP and hence I am very much thrilled. And at the same time, I would like to point out that though a sequel, BTP is so brilliantly scripted and directed that in future FTP and BTP would be seen as two distinct films.

You have done so many films, playing diverse characters at such a young age. Which of the characters you have played till date is your favourite one?
It’s difficult to say. All the characters that I have played are different from one another and hence cannot be compared. I get a different feel, different experience doing a new film. And doing a new film for me is akin to opening a new book.

You have played the childhood of Mohanlal and Mammootty. How is your relationship with these stars? And how did you feel, playing their childhood?
Playing the childhood of their characters was no doubt a very thrilling experience. As for Lalettan (Mohanlal), a personal relationship developed between him and my family when I was doing Ayiththam itself. By the time of Kizhakkunarum Pakshi, we were very close to each other, almost like friends. He considers me like his younger brother. That attachment perhaps worked on screen too.
As for Mammookka (Mammootty), my relationship with him is also intimate, though of a different kind. I was always interested in learning about technicalities. And he was always more than willing to tell me such things in detail. Mammookka has told me a lot of things about camera. He likes people who want to learn more. He taught me many things about acting too. I would say that not just these two stars, but all the directors I have worked with and all those who have worked in the films in which I have worked, were very much helpful and kind and have always been ready to help me out and teach me new things. I am indebted to all of them.

How was it, working in a Tamil film?
I was called by production controller Latheef to act in Kilipechchu Kelkkava. As said earlier I played the childhood of Mammookka’s character. It was not a big role. But nevertheless it was an insight into what the Tamil film industry was- how big and different it was.

What’s the highlight of BTP, from your perspective?
The highlight is that it is the group which is the character in the film. We are a group of four and the special thing about the group is that it has one entity, one character, one single motive. I won’t like to say much about the movie now. Let it talk for itself.

What are your dreams and aspirations?
Now that I have earned a degree, I am bound to do justice to my hard-earned education. Hence I must continue my job and business. At the same time doing films is like a passion to me. If I get successful in films, I wish to achieve a balance between the two - 50 percent to career and 50 percent to films.

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