Giving up was never an option for me: Actor Maniyanpilla Raju
In an interaction with TNIE, Maniyanpilla Raju opens up about his journey filled with ups and downs, close ties with the 'Big Ms' of Mollywood, how the industry has changed over the years, how he happened to identify talents like Rahman and Prithviraj, and how he survived cancer. Excerpts:
How do you reflect on your 50-year-long film career?
I hail from a non-artistic background, but my passion has always driven me. After being rejected by the Pune Film Institute, I went to the Adyar Film Institute where I was selected as the first Malayali acting student. K Balachander and M N Rajam chose me for the screen test, marking the true beginning of my journey. I graduated in 1975 and started off with Mohiniyattom, directed by Sreekumaran Thampi. I was never ready to give up and that has made me what I am today.
At the time, few pursued acting as a formal study. Did your family support your decision?
I have been passionate about acting since school and viewed it as my path forward. My father used to tell me that I wasn't good at studies, so I should enrol for LLB (laughs out). During my time at the film institute, I managed with Rs 100 a month. Initially, I stayed in a good hostel in Madras, then moved to Uma Lodge in Kodambakkam. I shared a small, sweltering top-storey room with another person for Rs 45. Mallika, my classmate from Model School, introduced me to Sreekumaran Thampi. When I met him with my portfolio, he bluntly said I wouldn't make it in an industry dominated by Adoor Bhasi and Prem Nazir. 'Have you ever checked your face in the mirror?' he asked. He even advised me to return home by the evening train. But soon after, he called to offer me a small role in Mohiniyattom... and that became my cinema entry.
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