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8 TEENTIME

2012 MARCH 14 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 39 GULF MADHYAMAM l No1 IN THE GULF

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New face, many facets

e is the new face and, indeed, the new voice of Malayalam cinema. The multi-faceted V G Muralikrishnan alias MuraliGopiyes, he is the son of the legendary actor Bharath Gopi is carving out his own garden of creativity in the landscape of Malayalam cinema: as actor, director, screenwriter and singer. When in conversation with this promising talent, the resemblance of the deep voice with that of his father is somewhat inescapable. A lot of people have told me the same, says Murali. Murali is happy that his new film, Ee Adutha Kaalathu is faring quite well at the Box Office. He wrote the story, screenplay and dialogues and even acted in the film directed by Arun Kumar Arvind. Ee Adutha Kalathu could well erase the disappointment of his debut as actor and screenwriter in the Lal Jose movie Rasikan (2004). The way he sees it, Rasikan bombed because the thematic essence was lost in translation when Lal Jose, Dileep and himself conceptualised the film in three different ways. As a result, the intended spoof fell flat. In contrast, the director feels that Ee Adutha Kalathu has been pitched as a family drama and thriller rolled into one. Murali feels that when it comes to dealing with genres, the Malayalam film industry blurs these boundaries whereas the genres are strait-jacketed in other industries. All the characters that he moulds are essentially extensions of his personality and reflect his worldview. On his creative process he says: I have a lot of conflicting urges within myself. When these reach flashpoint, I pick up my pen. An avid blogger and short story writer, Murali is now with MSN India (India Syndicate) as its Entertainment Editor, after stints as a journalist with The New Indian Express and The Hindu. Murali is more confident about the writer in him than the actor within. Though as an actor, Murali essayed creditable performances in Blessys Bhramaram and Kamals Gaddaama, he remains quite apprehensive of putting on the grease paint.

I am apprehensive about actingI rely on the confidence of the directors for that. If somebody compliments me on my acting, then I just feel relieved that I have not sullied my fathers name, says Murali. About the legendary Gopi: For Achan acting was a way of life...it came to him very naturally. Achan is my hero. He is the Artist Maximus, says the proud son. Being paralysed at the peak of his career was a body blowmore so in a profession that puts so much demand on physicality. Achan was emotionally very strong and spiritually evolved. That helped him tide over the crisis, he said. We now turn the spotlight on his lesser known talentsinging. When my friends get together, they sometimes ask me to sing. It was in one such session that I sang ChaanjuNilkkana.Lal Jose was pretty impressed and asked me to send a recording to Vidyasagar, who was composing the music for RasikanI went on to sing for the Jyothi Varma film, said Murali. You cant help but notice a philosophical trait in Murali. To me art or cinema is a very sacred space which I do not wish to litter. Fame and money may be important but they are not the be-all and end-all, he said. Quick money is what the industry is all about at present and this leaves little breathing space for newcomers. There was a time when the story and screenplays were the priority, but now we create characters for superstars, and this is simply to get a project mounted on to the screen. Being youthful in cinema is not about new faces but about new ideas and treatment styles, he says. His suggestion for youngsters: Leisure does not guarantee relaxation. Find ways to relaxstop flipping channels and stay focused.

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