Biju Menon, an evolving hero material

It was with the grand success of Jibu Jacob’s Vellimoonga M-town started witnessing the evolution of Biju Menon  to the hero roles from villain and supporting roles. A year later, he was seen in a comic-hero role in Rajesh Nair’s light-hearted family entertainer Salt Mango Tree. Now the actor is all set to appear as the protagonist in writer-turned-filmmaker Ranjith’s mega project Leela.

Biju says he still does not focus on lead roles. “I give preference to scripts and of course, the importance of my role in the storyline. Still I am not after hero roles. I take such roles only when I find the scripts exciting,” he says, adding, “Even after Vellimoonga I follow the same criteria while selecting films.”

The actor, who was last seen in a supporting role in Prithviraj-starrer Anarkali, shares his experience in essaying Kuttiyappan in Ranjith’s Leela, an adaptation of Unni R’s short story of the same name.  “I was very excited since I read the story around four-five years ago. Later, when I came to know that Ranjith ettan had decided to make it into a film, I was curious to watch it, but never did I expect that I would land in Kuttiyappan’s role,” he says.
 

What attracted him to the project were the story as well as the crew. “As I said, I was very curious to know how its visual form would be. When I got the call from Renjith ettan, the first question I asked was how it would be picturised. He assured that the film would be conceived without losing the feel we got from its literary form. When I read the screenplay, which was also written by Unni, I could see that it had become a real entertainer. But yes, of course, it will be a Ranjith film,” he says.

Biju points out that a lot of hard work and dedication are put into the film. “All the crew members have worked very hard to make this project possible as it was a tough one. This is the journey through the life of Kuttiyappan, a tricky and funny character. Another happy factor is that this for the first time I essay a thorough role in a Ranjith film. Though I had acted in a few films written by him, the only film in which I acted under his direction was Pranchiyettan & the Saint, in which I appeared in a guest role,” he says.

On the silent ban on Leela, he says “We had no options to stop the shoot during the strike. If I am right, the main factor which forced us to take that decision was that we had to complete the shoot in 10 days with the scenes of Vijayaraghavan as he was busy with the arrangements of his son’s marriage. There were many other factors which forced us to continue the shoot,” he says, adding, “I hope every issue will be solved soon.”

Biju will be next seen in a cop avatar in Khalid Rahman’s Anuraga Karikkin Vellam. “Though I act as a police officer in the film, it never discusses the official life of that character. Instead, it completely deals with family life,” says the actor, who appears as Asif Ali’s father in the film.

Currently, he is working in V.K. Prakash’s Marubhoomiyile Aana in which he will be seen as a Sheikh. “It will be an out-and-out fun film, written by Y.V. Rajesh. As Rajesh-VKP team’s earlier films, this also will be a laugh riot,” he sums up.