In the National Award winning Aalorukkam, the father Pappu Pisharadi, played by Indrans, is not rejecting a son. However he objects to his sexuality. Pappu discovers his son has turned a woman and is married with a daughter. It becomes easy to blame the husband of his son-turned-daughter, even calling his son-in-law derogatory names like Shikandi. But the husband Raja takes no offence and accepts it with equanimity. The powerful performance by Indrans garnered him the national award but the character of Raja stood out in the film. This, from newbie Shaji A. John, who managed to hold his own against the seasoned actor.
Initially, Shaji was called to play the part of a lorry driver in Aalorukkam and went to meet the director V.C. Abhilash to discuss the same. They got talking and after the conversation, Abhilash decided that Shaji would do another character. “He told me it was an important character, but did not reveal what the role was and asked me to come the next day,” he says, adding, “Which is when Abhilash told me about the character Raja, who is the husband of a transgender. It was a lengthy role. He enquired about my willingness to do the role and I said I had no qualms.”
Shaji had earlier acted in small roles and sheds light on Raja, “There was a subtle line I had to walk because the transgender community is not looked upon in a favourable light. Here was my character, who is well-settled professionally, married to one for 15 years and also a father of a speech impaired daughter.” Raja presented a huge challenge to Shaji, which he willingly took on. He elaborates, “My character is a Tamilian and so speaks that language. I had lengthy two-minute Tamil dialogues, which I had to memorise and then speak. Also I had no yardstick to base my performance on since there are not too many married transgenders and I relied entirely on my instinct and the director’s research and directions.”
The character required him to delve deep into human emotions and feelings — which he did admirably, but the biggest challenge was at least holding a candle to Indrans in terms of performance. “It was not that I was nervous, but I had to make sure that I matched up to his performance, especially while I was speaking those lengthy dialogues,” he says.
All the hard work did not go in vain. After the preview of the film, some Tamilians who had watched it congratulated Shaji. What made him doubly happy were the words some transgender people who had watched the screening felt, “They said watching Raja living his life happily with one of their ilk touched them.”
Shaji has been getting offers. Up next is Baby Sam in which he plays a very rude police officer — a complete reversal of image from Raja.
