Interview with ‘Nna Than Kes Kod’ star Rajesh Madhavan, who made the audience laugh by saying ‘I don’t have a date to come to court, I have to go on a date with my girlfriend that day’. Rajesh is also the casting director of the film
Apart from the acting, the new actors are so natural that it seems that they are not really the characters themselves. The biggest feature of the new faces seen by the Malayalis in the films Mondaya Nigham and Nna Than Kes Kod was their innate naturalness. It was Rajesh Madhavan from Kasargod who helped directors Ratheesh Balakrishna Phudhuwal and Senna Hegde to find a group of people who were not known anywhere beyond the radius of cinema and place them in suitable roles.
Rajesh Madhavan is currently shining as an actor and casting director in Malayalam cinema. Rajesh’s performance and dialogues in the film ‘Nna Than Kes Kod’ will not soon be forgotten by those who watch the film. A walk and dress that no one notices. In the film, Rajesh shines as an aspiring boyfriend who goes to testify in court in style as much as he goes to a party, putting aside all his days and nights to please his girlfriend. A lover who sincerely tells the policemen that ‘I don’t have a date to come to court, I have to go on a date with my girlfriend that day’!
Rajesh Madhavan is happy to introduce a handful of newcomers to Malayalam cinema from Kasargodan Manna through the film ‘Nna Than Kes Kod’. Rajesh is talking to Indian Express Malayalam regarding his approach to the film and the features of the new film.
I will definitely file the case on Monday. Two intense films, perfect casting. Where do you get actors with such naturalness?
Malayalam cinema has not explored the artistes of Kasargod and Kannur area much. As I am a native of this country, I have some experience here. If you look around you will find many talented people around. The actors for ‘Nna Than Kes Kodi’ were found through a proper audition. It can be said that some time has been spent on it. Interview was done in three or four stages. A mock shoot was done and the film as a whole was trial shot at this stage. It was finalized following that.
This is the third time I am working with Ratheesh Phudhuwal. I talk to people while planning new films. So I know what Ratheshetan wants. I was also the casting of Ratheshetan’s second film ‘Kanakam Kamini Kalaha’. It doesn’t have that much casting. But ‘Nna Than Kes Kod’ was a big responsibility, more than 40 people are new faces in the film.
Shukur Vakil, Gangadharan Vakil and Nayana Vakil in the film are also lawyers in real life. Even though they were familiar with the stage, cinema was a new experience for all of them. Their presence in the court room scenes has also benefited the film a lot.
The mock shoot conducted before the shoot has also been very beneficial. We only got to introduce Chakochan during the final shoot. Chakochan is a person who gels very easily with people. So everyone immediately came together. When it came to Chakochan’s makeover and look, they didn’t think he was a movie star at all. There were people in the location who did not believe that it was Chakochan. They got caught following a few days of shooting.
How did Rajesh enter the world of cinema?
My PG was in Visual Media. Later he worked as an assistant producer in Amrita and as a program producer in Asianet News. He also worked as a sub-editor in a magazine for some time. After that, he came to the cinema. I was interested in screenwriting. Meanwhile, Sanal Aman called me as the production controller for the film Astamayam Paki. That was the first film I worked on.
It was a time when my friend and Ravi Shankar wrote a script and narrated the story to the directors. Once the director went to Dileesh Pothan and Shyam Pushkaran to tell the story. When I went there to tell the story, they gave me a role in return, a small role in Mahesh’s revenge. Even though the last thing didn’t happen, it was for the sake of getting into acting.
As I am from Kasaragod, Dileesh Pothan called me as assistant director while doing ‘Thondimuthalum Driksakshi’. All those relationships later gave me more opportunities. Then Senna Hedge called me as the casting director for the appointment on Monday. I have also worked as the creative director of that film. Both Senna and Ratheesh have a solid understanding of their cast. Both are very keen and interesting observers of actors. If you give them what they want and give them some support, the film will do well.
Did those funny grandmothers in Android and Nna Than Case Kodu find themselves through auditions?
Tambai Amma has a good understanding of old songs. They are a collection of old songs. Her first film is Bilathikuzhal. Android Kunjappan was cast as a person who has seen and understood all the ways of cinema. They are extremely self-confident, and when they come on screen, they act in a fun way without any inhibitions.
Family?
I am native of Kasaragod Kolathur. My family is father, mother and two sisters. Father is a mason. All my sisters are married, I am not married.
New projects?
Opportunities are coming now in acting and casting. But that’s not what I really wanted, writing and directing, I want to slowly get to that. It will take some time.
