Five years after spreading optimism and inspiring youngsters, Joy Thakkolkaran is back to cinemas. So is his employer Jimbroottan, another character from the much-acclaimed Punyalan Agarbathis. Reprisal of the comic role in the just-released sequel – Punyalan Private Limited – is a matter of joy for Gokulan.
“At the beginning of Punyalan, I was told that my role was that of a nameless labourer in Joy’s factory. Jimbroottan was the name suggested by Jayasurya and the name got stuck,” laughs the Kochiite, who is known by the same name.
On screen, Gokulan is someone who cracks jokes without meaning to do so, but off screen, he is different. He confesses that he was an introvert during school days. “I had stammer which made me a loner,” he says. But there is no trace left now. Gokulan owes it all to theatre. What started as skits during school days and NSS camps caught up with him as he joined college. “Campus theatre has made a confident youngster out of the old me,” he smiles.
Being the youngest son in the family – he has three brothers and a younger sister – he was free to choose his path and Gokulan opted for theatre, on just one condition – ‘Do not drop studies’. “I did a journalism diploma, two post-graduation courses and an MPhil, only to act in plays,” he says.
He was part of campus theatre, performed in college youth festivals and got selected to several state and national-level fests. He also performed as part of small theatre groups in the city. Don’t mistake him as an irresponsible youth. At 21, he was working for Bill Gates! Explaining, he says, “We used to perform street plays on AIDS awareness as part of an NGO funded by the Bill Gates Foundation. Back then, earning Rs. 8,000 a month was a big thing.”
Movies were nowhere in his plans, but the inevitable twist happened in the form of Basheer’s Premalekhanam! He was playing Kesavan Nair in a play based on the novel. The practice was held at the open theatre in CUSAT. Director Kiran spotted him and impressed, offered him a small role in his movie Kudumbashree Travels. That was the beginning. He starred in a friend’s short film Mangandi, which won various awards. Then came the role that changed his life – of the coconut plucker, the representative of God, in Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Amen. “There’s an interesting back story. I was originally cast as a barber, but when I reached the location, the role had gone to another person and I was given the coconut plucker’s role. I was hurt and thought of leaving, firstly because of this and secondly because, I had no idea about climbing a coconut tree. It was Sudhi Koppa who talked me into acting. I somehow managed to climb the tree and the shot was okayed in the first take. There were scratches all over my chest, but it
was worth it. The movie gave me an identity and the barber’s character didn’t make it to the final cut,” he recalls.
More coconut plucker roles followed – in an advertisement and another movie, but he has no qualms. “It has all done me good,” he says.
His association with Ranjith Shankar began with Molly Aunty Rocks and then, Jimbroottan happened. Jayasurya took a liking to Gokulan and soon he bagged roles in his movies Lal Bahadur Sasthri and Mathai Kuzhappakkaran Alla, followed by Ranjith’s Su Su Sudhi Vatmeekam and Ramante Edenthottam. Movies haven’t let theatre take a backseat. “I have a deep emotional connect with theatre. I can’t let go of it just like that.”
The 33-year-old will next play the father of a young boy in the art house movie Lali Bela. Also coming up are Kuthirappavan and Vinayan’s Chalakkudikaaran Changathi.
“I am a man of simple dreams. I don’t want to do big roles, but the ones that give me happiness. Anything I do, I want happiness in return and nothing else matters,” he concludes.
