Comrade Rajeev of Sakhavu

Singer, music director and lyricist — these were the credits seen above the name of Sooraj S. Kurup till date. Now the Valleem Thetti Pulleem Thetti-fame musician is all set to foray on to screen as an actor with Nivin Pauly-starrer Sakhavu. Though he had acted in a few short films before entering the film industry as a music director, he was dreaming to become an actor. “One day, production controller Dixon chettan called me and asked if I was at Kottayam and asked me to come to the movie’s location which was near my house.” 

I have known Siddhartha (Siva) ettan since I have composed a song for Kochavva Poulo Ayyappa Coelho. During the production of that film, Chackochan (Kunchacko Boban) had told Siddharth ettan about the short films I had acted in. When I reached the set of Sakhavu, he was in a discussion with cinematographer George C. Williams. He asked me to meet the costumer and give my measurement for shirt. Even then I had no idea why I was been asked to do these things. It was later I understood that I was selected for a role which came as a big surprise,” recalls Sooraj.

In the movie, Sooraj acts as Comrade Rajeev, a friend of Nivin’s Krishnakumar. “Though it is a prominent role, it is not a full-length character. I had three days of shoot. However, I knew about the character before I was roped in for it. An established actor was zeroed in for the role earlier, but later, they decided to cast me. And adding to the joy, I got to dub for my character,” says Sooraj, who also pens a song for Sakhavu. It is his first association with another musician.

“I have been a fan of Prashanth Pillai since he started working in Malayalam. It was when I went for dubbing that Sidharthettan asked me to pen lyrics for a track — a revolutionary pattern — which was already composed. The challenge was to find apt words for that track. Being a musician, I was very conscious while picking the words. I gave the lyrics in two days. And I am glad that no further corrections were made to the lyrics,” he says about the song Theyyum Thindaka... Sooraj adds, “Now I feel that I can focus on acting also. But even then I am not ready to give up my career as a musician as that is my passion.” Sunny Wayne-starrer Alamara was Sooraj’s last film as a composer. Now, he is working on his Kollywood debut with a Vidharth-starrer.