The difference lies in the ‘Stage’ where we get to act
If you are spending time at an airport departure lounge, you will run into an actor. Today, I met veteran character actor Nizhalgal Ravi. The man has been in the industry for 4 decades and has acted in over 500 films. He is the one who owns the famous Kadambur Maligai in the Ponniyin Selvan saga. Because of the ensemble cast, character actors like him lost out on the final bill boards.
Ravi is a decade elder than me and has lent his face and voice to several notable characters. Not many know that he is also a seasoned dubbing artist. Whenever you hear Amitabh speak Tamil in films or commercials, think Nizhalgal Ravi.
Coimbatore airport was not very crowded and Ravi was dozing off when the flight announcement came. I softly touched him on his shoulder to wake him.
“Chennai yaa ?”
“Amam …”
“Flight announce aayachu. How is Kadambur Sir?”
The veteran broke into a smile. ‘Kadambur Sambuvarayar’, he introduced himself. I could sense Satyaraj introducing himself as Kattappa or Amrish Puri as Mogambo. Simple man. Zero airs.
By habit, I started observing ‘actors’ in normal people. The ground staff who had issued my boarding card was now at the departure gate.
“Keep your boarding cards ready”.
His voice rang across the gate. No lights. No camera. But ACTION was on. Seeing me, he gave an extra smile. We have already ‘met’ and hence a higher acquaintance. The family in front had a baby. The girl punching the barcode lifted her face and waved at the baby. An elderly lady was eased into the escalator by a stranger. Action sans camera.
If you have observed air-hostesses run the safety drill, you will spot that their communication for the same recorded message is not the same. The rush-through one, the duty-bound one, the bored one, the smiling one, the caring one, the perfectionist – they are all up there. The difference lies in their acting DNA. On the way back home, the auto driver starts his acting part. I observed his animated gestures when he talked about today’s tomato prices. His expressions would put Nana Patekar to shame!
When the auto turned into my lane, I recollected the famous lines of Malayalam poet Ulloor.
Namostute majeevana daayaka, Natesa! Paramatman
Narakya mange narthaga ganamathil njyanum oralpangam
Vesham enikkenthennnu vidhippathu vibho! Bhavachittam
Vishwa priyamay natanam cheyvathu vidheyanen krithyam !
I humbly bow before my creator, Natesan, the Cosmic Force
In the drama troupe called ‘humanity’, I too am a small part
The contours of my role are etched out in Your mind
My job is just to enact out the role given to perfection ….
All of us are actors waiting for more nuanced roles to come.