When Malayalam star Shane Nigam sits down for a chat with us, his exhaustion after dozens of interviews is evident. He coughs during the chat and keeps his answers brief, and yet, does not resist a request for a live rendition of Mehdi Hassan’s popular ghazal ‘Rafta Rafta Woh Meri’, which Shane has recreated in his upcoming film . Condition(He had previously composed and sung 2022’s ‘Ra Tharamay’ past tenseAnd he says he has some indie tracks ready for release).
The icing on the cake is that this massive promotional campaign is not for a Malayalam film; Shane taking his first bow in Tamil MadrasanizationReady for release this weekend. The film co-starring Kalaiyarasan and Niharika Konidela is undoubtedly the next logical step for the actor who has garnered a lot of attention from the Tamil audience, especially on social media.
Tamil fans of Malayalam cinema first noticed Shane in his short but effective cameo at the end of Dulquer Salmaan’s film. kammattipadamThen came films like C/O Saira BanuAnd care aboutbut this was 2019 kumbalangi nights This really broke Shane’s fame outside Kerala, a fandom that reached its peak afterRDX: Robert Donny Xavier Thanks for the viral hit ‘Neela Nilave’. “I have always felt this love from Tamil Nadu care about Day. But RDX was special; Only after the lead role offer came to me, and Madrasanization This also happened because of him,” he confesses.
strong belief to Madrasanization His Tamil debut, he says, came from a script that was written by director Vali Mohan Das. “No matter what language it is made in, I must have made this script because it has a horror element in it. Even after hearing the script, it took me a while to confirm it and somehow the story kept coming to my mind again and again. Then I knew I had to do it.”
Part:
Looking back, your turn in ‘Bhootakalam’ is one of the best films till date. It was a complex role, of a broken, unpredictable and vulnerable man who suffers a psychological breakdown due to the supernatural element. What did ‘Bhootakalam’ do for you as an actor?
This was not an easy role. with past tenseI was the first person to hear that script. It was during the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown and I was eagerly waiting to do an OTT film. I listened to many scripts but this one was quite convenient as it did not require many locations. Also, I understood that Rahul Sadasivan had a unique take on horror. Thankfully, we found Anwar Rasheed, who co-produced the film with me. I was quite involved in the script, even during the pre-production stage. Rahul and I used to discuss scenes and dialogues; We used to act out scenes, record them on our mobiles and then choose the dialogues. So maybe it worked out so well because I was involved.
Actor Shane Nigam Photo Credit: Thamodharan B
It was such a disturbing, atmospheric film for the audience, and you mentioned earlier how much time you take to get in and out of the characters…
It was very tiring. We were emotionally exhausted after doing many scenes. it was after this past tense I decided that I would never do a film with such psychological issues. Yes, I enjoyed the process, but once it’s done, I have a life where there’s nothing – I can’t return to my character, I have to be Shane Nigam again, and I There will be another character coming soon. That place is tough. With such emotional exhaustion comes a lot of emptiness.
Does the need for time to move in and out of characters prevent you from doing multiple projects at once?
Yes, I can’t do that. I tried that and failed miserably. i was shooting Veyil Together sacrificeAnd it proved to be a difficult process.
When it comes to the characters you played in ‘Madrasakaran’, can you name something that stayed with you long after the shooting was over?
It’s not a character we’ve ever seen before, but our take on it is unique. The note on which the film ends is very different, and I say this both as an actor acting in it and as a viewer watching it during the dubbing session. Only those who have seen the film will understand what I mean by this.
Rapid Fire with Shane Nigam
You have made a remix of ‘Kadhal Sudugudu’; Another AR Rahman song that you are interested in remixing?: from ‘ale ale’ boys
Favorite Ilaiyaraaja song?: From ‘Kanne Kalaimaane’ Moondram Pirai
Favorite Tamil movie of all time, hero
most favorite tamil actor: Kamal Haasan and Dhanush
Most Favorite Hollywood Actor: Robert De Niro and Al Pacino
your most viewed movie, rockstar
Horror or romance?:romance
A Tamil director you want to work with: Lokesh Kanagaraj
A recently watched movie that you would recommend to our readers, amar singh bright
The unique thing about the Malayalam film industry is how the new wave of filmmakers has helped young actors like you come up. However, in Tamil we don’t have many actors like Mathew Thomas, Naslane’s Gafoor or you. What do you think is the key to opening this space in Tamil?
Firstly, more scripts are being made in Malayalam for the younger generation. Everyone loves stories set in schools because they provide scope for cute scenes. The story based on college is also interesting because a lot happens in that period of life.
Moreover, in Malayalam, no one watches a film because they like an actor; They will go to the theater only if the film is good. Fans may fill the screens for a few days, but a film will do well only if it is good. This is the new wave of Malayalam audience.
When did you discover Tamil cinema?
Since my childhood. My mother remembered that when I was in kindergarten, whenever a Rajinikanth song played on the jukebox, I would run to my room, dress up in Rajinikanth’s outfit and come out to find that the song was over. Then there will be Hrithik Roshan’s song and I will repeat the same. I used to go to theater to watch Tamil movies.
Actor Shane Nigam Photo Credit: Thamodharan B
You’re diving into a whole new world. Did you analyze the upcoming movies in Tamil to calculate how you can go about this?
I don’t think so. Whatever I have done till now, I am just doing the same. From preparations to shooting and now promotions, everything seems to be the same. No matter the language, I am doing my work. At present, any film in the world can become popular if the film is good. We all want this to happen.
Do people come to you with opinions about what kind of roles you should play now? How do you want to shape your career?
No one says anything to me; Not even my mother. I follow my instincts. I don’t see how other heroes are running their careers because their lives are completely different from mine. I don’t live like an actor.
Are you listening to more scripts in Tamil? What’s coming next in Malayalam?
Yes, I am listening to scripts and a project is in the final stages of materialisation. in malayalam, i have finished ConditionI am currently doing a film on Kabaddi sets in Palakkad. It is a Tamil-Malayalam bilingual starring Selvaraghavan as a rival. Alphonse Puthren and Shantanu Bhagyaraj play important roles.
Madrasakaran will be released in theaters on January 10.
published – January 08, 2025 02:26 PM IST
