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Rubbing shoulders with Dimple, Amar Singh
Vinu Mohan, who made a memorable debut in late Lohitadas' Malayalam film Nivedyam is the grandson of the legendary actor Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair, who immortalised the role of Chempankunju in the National Award winning film Chemmeen.
Vinu Mohan is also the nephew of character actor Sai Kumar.
Fresh after the release of Holiday, the third generation actor has two more movies slated for release in the next two weeks one of which is the Malayalam film Bombay Mittai, where he shares screen space with politician Amar Singh and veteran actress Dimple Kapadia.
Vinu Mohan tells Reshmi Padma what to expect from the movie.
You have three releases in a row. How different are the characters?
Three releases in a row is a great feeling. All three films belong to different genres. Holiday, a thriller tells the story of a group of friends.
Bombay Mittai, a film by Umer Karikkad is an out and out comedy. Amar Singh and Dimple Kapadia will be seen in interesting cameos. The heroine is Neelambari Perumal, daughter of the Sri Lankan politician Varadha Raja Perumal. The film revolves around Suresh and Sulaiman and their goof ups. I play Suresh and Hari Sree Asokan plays Sulaiman. They are hell bent on becoming rich.
Then there is Koottukar, an action film about revenge. I am being paired with my first film Nivedyam heroine Bhama. When we were paired together, everyone thought this would be a film like Nivedyam -- a soft love story but it is not. Koottukar is a serious film and I really enjoyed playing the role as it has a negative tint to it.
'My legacy makes me tense'
Most of your films are multi-starrers...
I feel multi-starrers offer more challenges than single hero subjects. My films Cycle, Sultan, Colours, Keralotsavam, Chattambinadu, Dalamarmarangal and Ingameyum Oraal -- all gave me enough scope to perform and the subjects they dealt with were novel.
Yes, the stars of the 70's and the 80's like Mohanlal, Mammootty, etc were really fortunate to have got amazing characters when they were young and at the beginning of their career. But we, the new generation are not that lucky.
What are the advantages of your legacy?
Being the grandson of legendary actor Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair, nephew of Sai Kumar, son of drama and cine artists Mohan and Sobha, is a great responsibility. People say to me that acting is in your blood, so, what is the problem? But it makes me tense.
'I really feel proud that Amar Singhji's first shot was with me'
Do you miss Lohitadas, your first director?
Yes, I miss him terribly. I feel he is still around. He used to guide me. My first film was like going to an acting school. I still remember the first day of shooting where I goofed up because of tension. But he had the patience to extract the right performance from me. Even now when I get confused, I feel like calling out to him. The vacuum he has created is irreparable.
How was it working Amar singh in Bombay Mittai?
We have some combination scenes in the climax of Bombay Mittai. I really feel proud that Amar Singhji's first shot was with me. He is not new to acting as I think he has done cameos in Hindi films too. In Bombay Mittai his role is that of a famous singer. The role demanded that he speak to the media and also perform on stage, and all that came naturally to him.
When I asked him about performing so naturally, he said, being a politician, he is used to talking to the media and the public. He has put in a lot of effort to learn his lines. Though it was a special appearance, he took real interest in knowing not only his character but also that of others and the scenes.
Did you talk politics on the sets?
Amarji is like a book, full of knowledge and vast experience. We would talk about everything under the sun though everything ended in politics. He always linked his talks to politics. I am not that politically inclined but the experiences he shared are worth listening. At first I felt shy to talk to him, but he is such a down-to-earth man that I was really impressed. To mingle with such big wigs in politics itself is an honour.
'I haven't seen Dimple's most popular film Bobby'
What about Dimple Kapadia?
I am a huge fan. Sharing screen space with her was a dream come through. She doesn't have the tantrums of a star; she is such a lovable and down-to-earth person. Her role in the movie is that of Amar Singh's wife.
We were shooting near my house. When she found out that I lived nearby, she paid me a visit. I was thrilled. I was more than happy to take both of them home. They had lunch at my place and we had a great time together. I will always cherish the moments spent with those two.
Have you seen any of her films?
I haven't seen her most popular film Bobby. It was made, I think much, much before I was born. But I like the songs from Bobby and Sagar, and I told her so. When I watched her perform on the sets of Bombay Mittai, I found out that the Bollywood style of acting is quite different from ours. Though she is in her mid-fifties, she is an amazingly graceful and charming personality.
She said she was really interested in doing a full length Malayalam film and would love to act with Mammootty and Mohanlal.