Bank manager James had a huge collection of books and stills of old Malayalam films. He would religiously collect every magazine, songbook and picture he got. When James’ third child was born, he named him Disney after the Walt Disney movies he was so fond of.
Little Disney grew up reading film books more than children’s books. By his seventh grade he was convinced mimicry was a sure shot way to get into movies and did impressions of Balachandra Menon or Janaradhanan and Mammootty. By his tenth grade, he had decided he wanted to be an actor. But like most parents, James and his wife told him to first finish his degree. Disney completed his engineering from a college in Nagercoil.
While there, he escaped ragging by pleasing his seniors with impressions of Tamil actors. But he continued to cherish his dreams. After years of knocking doors and engaging in other jobs including that of a college lecturer, Disney finally made it into films. Remember the bearded villain who shoots Meghna Raj in Memories? That’s him.
“After college, I knocked on doors of many prominent directors but never got a call back. It is then that a friend dragged me to an interview at Mar Baselios College for the post of a lecturer. And I got through,” he says. “It is my friend Satheesh’s inspiring words that helped me. He said ‘win the crowd’ quoting the Gladiator line. And I began winning over students with stories and anecdotes.” Through a student, he made his first appearance in a short film called Ona Thidampu with Bharath Gopi. “I began my acting career with his blessings.”
He participated in cultural events in college, acted in a music album and more short films. Three years later, he quit his job. He took up a two-year stint in Dubai to make some money before fully plunging into movies. House No.?13 was his first film, as a psychotic villain. Next, a Tamil movie called Puthumughangal Thevai. Meeting A.M. Ali got him a role in Theruvu Nakshatrangal and his next was as an irresponsible family man in @Andheri, which is set to release soon. “I acted with Atul Kulkarni in the film, what an artiste!” But it was his role in Memories for which he got noticed the most. Disney has also acted in Spandhanam and North 24 Kaatham.
