A man of many roles: Mukesh

His peers, Mohanlal and Mammootty, may have acquired superstar status, but Mukesh is no less a ‘superstar’ himself. Take a look at his 35-year-long innings — he has excelled in roles across all genres especially comedy, has been a successful producer as Katha Prayumbol and Thattathin Marayathu proved, has done a play roping in Mohanlal, has been a very successful TV host, is also a three-time author and is active in politics. That same energy, the fire to excel and an eye for perfection is present in Mukesh as the host of the TV show Sell Me the Answer currently being aired.

Sell Me The Answer is a departure from the routine reality shows which is precisely what attracted Mukesh to the format. He says, “Lots of channels have been contacting me to host their programmes especially after Badai Bungalow became a hit. I don’t want to sit in the judge’s chair and rate contestants but wanted a space where I could add my touches and make it my show. I found that Sell Me The Answer had energy, action and twists as well as a brisk pace from the beginning to the end without a moment to relax. What most people cannot relate to is the aspect of the seller walking away with the agreed upon money even if the answer is wrong. Recently, I had a contestant cry after giving the wrong answer. To elicit such feelings through a game show is not easy and that is the success of the show.” Mukesh adds that talking about a show, be it positive or negative is an indication that the show is being talked about.

As if getting all set to fly down to Canada for a film shoot as well as hosting his TV show is not enough, Mukesh is getting ready to share the stage with his dancer wife Methil Devika for an upcoming play Naga directed by Suveeran. The rehearsals for the home production are in full swing and will be staged on August 9.

Speaking about the play, which is very close to his heart, he says, “After Chayamukhi, I wanted to do a play and was looking out for suitable themes.  Devika and I wanted to do something together and obviously I cannot dance but she can act! She has never acted before and our friend Suveeran, mentioned that Naga based on Girish Karnad’s play Nagamandala, which is actually a grandmother’s fable, would be apt for us. Understanding my love, passion and commitment for theatre, Devika decided to take up the challenge of acting and she is thrilled but understands the hard work involved too.”

Throwing light on the novel aspects of the play, Mukesh explains, “The play has a lot of narration and the voice over is done by Mohanlal and he becomes like a character. It is a very big production and we are using shadow puppetry and lighting techniques to create an impact on stage.”

Travelling the path less trodden is very important for Mukesh, be it as an actor or as a producer, he states, “Both the films I produced along with Sreenivasan have a time gap between them. For both of us, production is not our profession, but when certain circumstances arose, Sreenivasan and I decide to produce the films. If you ask me about my next production, there is nothing on the horizon as of now!”

A man who has seen raging comebacks and precipitous declines through the years, he speaks about the current Mollywood scenario, “Malayalis have always wanted novelty and freshness and if that is not there, they reject it outright. Cinema has seen a lot of changes in the past three years and the films which are being made now combine our culture and fresh themes. I am happy to be a part of this cinema and I get to work with the young and the seniors.”

Enjoying whatever he does is the key to his ability to pull off many different roles and he signs off saying that life flows like a river where people come and go but he likes to look ahead to a future filled with new challenges.