My role is similar to that of Karna in Mahabharata -Sarath Kumar

'The only difference is that Karna was with Duryodhan in that epic, but I am with my role model Kerala Verma Pazhassi Raja in this mega epic,' clarifies the superstar of Tamil cinema, Sarath Kumar, in a Tete-a-tete with us.

Sarath is currently busy with the promotions and is eagerly awaiting the release of his first ever Malayalam magnum opus ‘Pazhassi Raja’, due to release in October.

From Politics to Tamil films, and now Malayalam cinema you seem to be going places. Was it a conscious effort and things are just falling for you?

It is not a conscious effort. What really makes an actor sign a role is the story. If the story appeals to me I take no time to sign the movie. I was the MP from 2001 till 2005 and now it is my debut in Malayalam cinema. I wouldn’t say things are just falling into place for me, but yes I am happy and at the same time, cautious of what I do. At the end of the day I need to be satisfied as an actor and as well as a human being.

What is the movie Pazhassi Raja all about?

The story of Pazhassi Raja dates back to the 18th century. Veera Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, known as the Lion of Kerala, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Kottayam in present day Kuthparambu near Tellichery in northern Kerala. He was one of the first martyrs in India in the struggle against the British. The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 is considered to be the first organized revolt against British rule and the first step in India's struggle for independence. However, more than half a century prior to that, Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, irked by the unpopular revenue policy followed by the East India Company in Malabar, threatened to cut down all the pepper vines if the Company persisted in revenue collection. Pazhassi Raja's role is played by veteran in our film industry Mr. Mamoothy and I play the role of EDACHENA KUNGAN, Raja's right hand man who has been born and brought up under Raja's shelter and hence extremely loyal towards Raja.

What made you choose the role of EDACHENA KUNGAN?

This role was tailor-made for me. When our director Mr. Hariharan approached me with the script and offered me this role, the personality of EDACHENA KUNGAN matched my own personality and my body language so much, that there was no place for denying the role! The best part is that the movie was written with each star cast suiting the character in the script. Rarely do you find the super combo of such an appealing concept and a mega star cast. The role was simply too tempting to resist.

Was a multi star cast a concern to you? Considering that everyone would have an important role in the movie?

On the contrary, it’s good to have multi star cast as everyone contributes their bit in the making of this movie, thereby lessening the overall burden. We have a fabulous star cast starting from Mammoothy, Kanika, Padmapriya. I couldn’t have asked for more. As a matter of fact, I am happy to be a part of this movie. This is my debut in Malayalam cinema with Mammoothy. Interestingly, not many know that that Mammoothy made his debut in the Tamil Cinema in which I was a part, and now, by a sheer co incidence, I am making my debut in a Mammoothy starrer Malayalam magnum opus.

What was the biggest challenge you faced during this movie, considering it’s not today’s story; it dates back to 18th century?v

Biggest challenge for me was the language! As said earlier, this is my first ever Malayalam movie. But, all thanks to our scriptwriter Mr. M T Vasudevan, and our director Mr. Hariharan, they made everything very easy.

Magnum opus of the 18th century doesn't come that easy we believe?

Very True! It doesn't come that easy. Lots of preparation and passion goes into making an epic of this caliber. I learnt archery for the first time for this movie. I also did most of my stunts on my own, as I didn’t want the authenticity of the movie to go for a toss. I lifted a heavy weight character (110kgs approx!) on my shoulder without anybody's help!

That was about preparation. And Passion?

As a kid, the arms fascinated me and artifacts kept in the museums and would always wonder how they were used. And here I am today, using some of those in my movie. In a particular scene, the film required my character to jump in a river before the British could catch and kill me, but while enacting the scene, I got so engrossed that I didn’t realize the dept of the water and the harmful water bodies and objects that could have been in the river. But not thinking about those, I dived! I actually lived that era and my character EDACHENA KUNGAN.

What next?

Lots of projects in the pipeline but I take one thing at a time. ‘Pazhassi Raja’ is very crucial for us not just as an actor, but also as a citizen of this country. More so, it is a story of an unsung hero, and we want to bring it to people’s notice and make them aware of such heroic personalities. I’m now eagerly waiting for the release; hope the audience appreciates the collective efforts of our team.

--SAMPURN