Chennai: After playing minor roles for over two decades in several films, 48-year-old Malayalam actor Nandalal Krishnamurthy, popularly known as Nandu, has finally hit pay dirt in the Mohanlal starrer 'Spirit'.
The performance in the 2012 film fetched Nandalal the South Indian International Movie Award for the best supporting actor in a Malayalam film. Nandu has been busy after the success of 'Spirit', directed by Ranjith.
The actor has acted in about 85 films, mostly small roles, since his debut in 1987 but in over one-and-a-half years after 'Spirit', he has done about 30 movies, including superhit Mamooty starrer 'Immanuel', directed by Lal Jose.
His first film was 1987 Mohanlal-starrer 'Sarvakalasala' directed by Venu Nagavalli. His relatives had urged Nagavalli to offer him a role as he (Nandu) was whiling away his time.
He has acted mostly in Priyadarshan movies, including five Hindi films.
On the super hit movie 'Spirit', he said "I do not know if Ranjith wrote the script with someone else in mind. But it was he who called me to do the role, and the rest is history." In the movie, Nandu plays the role of an alcholic plumber Mani.
In the film, there is a scene where Nandu thrashes his wife mercilessly, a role enacted by Kalpana.
"That scene gives me jitters. Kalpana is a good friend, and though you are acting, it took some nerve to beat a woman. But the brutality had to be portrayed on screen, and I just went and did it," he told.
It was a lengthy shot, and Ranjith used two cameras. It came out well, he said. Nandu said he should thank director Adoor Gopalakrishnan for casting him in a serious role in his film 'Nallu Penungal'. Till that time, he was doing comedy roles.
After seeing the movie, directors like T V Anand, Shaji N Karun, Siddique and Ranjith complimented him on his performance and said he should do more serious roles.
"I went on to do Ranjith's 'Thirakkatha' in 2008, starring Prithiviraj, Anup Menon and Priya Mani, after that. There also I got a good role, and finally 'Spirit', by the same director,", he said.
Nandu had no intention of becoming an actor and was more keen on getting into the Navy. He has also done TV serials, most popular being his 'Chakrapani' character in the devotional 'Swami Ayyappan' in Asianet channel some years back.
In Tamil, he has done two films. The Pandiarajan starrer 'Nilakuyil' and 'Lesa, Lesa' (Madhavan).
He is currently enacting a villain's role in 'Red' directed by Vaishakh. "My intention is to do good meaty roles, and I hope they come my way," he said.
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