TV actor Ravikumar Menon shares his experience of working in the industry since 1960s
Ravikumar
He’s been in the industry since he was 13 (that makes it almost 50 years), he’s won a Lifetime Achievement Award, and he’s one of the most popular father figures in Tamil television.
Ravikumar Menon may have many more feathers in his hat, but his humble nature keeps them well hidden. In a chat with DC, he speaks about his entry into the cine and small screen industry, the changes he’s noticed in the entertainment field and how reaching out to the people, be it through Chitthi or Vaani Raani, is more than he could have asked for.
“I’m prepared for the questions, so shoot!” he says with enthusiasm. He starts off by saying that he entered the Malayalam film industry as a child artiste when he was 13 years old. “I’m from a film background – my father and producer KMK Menon was a pioneer in the Malayalam industry and my mother, Bharathi Menon was a noted actress. Thanks to K Balachander sir, I shared the screen with Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan in Avargal,” he smiles.
He now has over 100 movies in Malayalam alone to his credit, and says that the first thing he learnt from movies is discipline. “Back then, movies were shot in less than a month so we worked smart and hard to survive,” he says.
As for his entry into television, he says, “Radhikaa offered me the role of a father in Chitthi. Serials are mostly to give entertainment to those who don’t have easy access to a theatre, so I was happy to accept the role.” When asked how he avoids being typecast, he says, “In Vaani Rani I played a positive role, in Selvi and Arase I was a drunk, and in Chithi I played a negative role — hence, I avoid becoming typecast,” Ravikumar says.
He loves playing negative characters, because of the scope it gives. “There are no boundaries, no limits. It’s one territory and that gives me unlimited room for portrayal.” He adds that he loved Arvind Swami’s role in the recent Thani Oruvan. “Cinema is seeing huge changes and is growing rapidly, thanks to some brilliant youngsters. It feels great to have been a part of the 70s golden age, as well as this next-gen,” he says on a concluding note.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
Next Story
