`I love acting'
AMULYA NAGARAJ
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Academics was never his cup of tea. Until he vaguely decided he would give films a go, he didn't know he could act either. Meet Murali, the young actor who, with just six films, adores the medium. He also has a State award to his credit
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FOCUSSED `I am getting paid to work, not to have fun. I should do justice' Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.
Many would call it a dream beginning. Barely two years in the movies, six films to his name and a State award. Despite two of his recent movies not faring too well at the box office, Murali is still a leading name in the Kannada film industry. That sure is an impressive journey for someone who didn't even plan to enter movies.
"I never thought I would enter movies, let alone win an award. That too at this early stage," he says. To do something big, either being a businessman or a sportsperson was his plan. But they didn't quite work out.
He hails from what could be considered the royal family of Kannada cinema. The towering personality of Kannada film industry and the moving force behind Vajreshwari combines, Parvathamma Rajkumar, is his aunt. Yet, movies weren't quite Murali's plans. He admits, that Dr. Rajkumar was an awe-inspiring figure for him since his childhood, like it was for most other Kannadigas. He was such a motivation, that he reminisces how he wanted to beat up all the baddies, when he saw his uncle do it on screen. But later he scorned upon the idea of one man beating up ten people without even a single stain or a wrinkle on his shirt as ridiculous. "Yet here I am," he laughs.
Entering movies was neither an accident nor an easy decision. "I am scared of failure. When I used to see people acting and being a success, I would wonder if I should try it." Studies were his problem. As he confesses amusedly, tenth standard was the only first class he got in academics. After graduation, he decided to focus on his future and wondered about movies. His father and brother surprised him by encouraging him to give it a go. And Chandra Chakori happened.
And then Kanti, a love story focusing on the language issues on the Karnataka border. It is a simple love story with language politics clouding the romance. Murali's role, a college student who falls in love with a local Marathi girl and is pulled into the political turmoil, won him the State award.
"When people would tell me I would win an award, I would laugh it off," he recalls. But the award certainly has made a difference. The pleasure is obvious and an award always boosts confidence. It has also got him many more offers from producers. "But I only take up only three or four films in a year, " he states with great clarity.
Doesn't he wish that there was room for experimentation in the Kannada film industry, like for instance, in the case of Tamil industry? Kannada film industry is much smaller, both in terms of budget and reach, compared to other language industries. Even profit margins are much lesser, he explains. Even though Kannada films have seen good times recently, the industry doesn't much dare to experiment. But when Murali does settle down well, he hopes to experiment. He has his dream role completely sketched out in his mind. Even as it pours out of him, he pleads that it should be kept under wraps. He says he has a long journey ahead before him, and he has all the time to turn his dream into reality. "Also, I need to grow a bit more old, wise and garner enough power to throw my weight around on the sets," he jokes.
Currently, he is working on three movies — one for Ramu productions, the other for Om Prakash and his home production, also a movie with his brother Vijaya Raghavendra. He is nonchalant about comparison with his brother. To put it in simple words, he just doesn't care.
He wishes fervently to do a role that involves "complete raw emotion." There are times that Murali feels frustrated by the complete lack of control he has in the story but has also resigned himself to it.
Being an actor is tough work. It involves research, preparation and toiling in all kinds of conditions. According to Murali, an actor should be able to mould himself to the needs of the character he plays. Everything from the dress to the hairstyle to the body language. "I am getting paid to work, not to have fun. I should do it justice, " he stresses. Which is possibly the reason why he does most stunts on his own, regardless of the risk.
He narrates an incident during shooting one of his movies at Chalukuddi falls in Kerala. He was required to leap from the top and land a few feet away from the water. This is a shot that is generally done by stuntmen using ropes. But Murali decided to jump by himself, no stuntmen, no ropes. "I landed much further than where I was supposed to. If I had slipped in, I wouldn't be here!" he shudders.
He continues to do the stunts, regardless. But that isn't the toughest part of being an actor.
An actor has really no say in essaying his role, because there are various people along the way, apart from the director, who have preconceived notions on how the role should be played. There are times, when Murali is forced to go along a wrong idea. But what makes him stick on is his love for the job. He plans to branch out into his old ideas of business sometime in the future. But will surely be associated with the movies in some way. "I love acting," he gushes.
"You can't cheat people. Because your eyes always speak the truth," reasons Murali in the typical filmi style, as he moves on with complete gusto to his next project.
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