Gautham Vasudev Menon is a big name in Tamil cinema but has lost his impact lately. But he is still a big figure in the industry.
He recently directed the Malayalam film Dominic and the Ladies’ Purse and has been giving interviews and making exclusive statements about the differences between Tamil and Malayalam actors.
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In one such interview, Menon spoke about how Tamil and Malayalam actors approach their roles.
He took Fahadh Faasil’s role in Kumbalangi Nights as an example of the bold choices Malayalam actors are willing to make. Menon said, “No Tamil actor would have played Fahadh’s character in that movie,”
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Adding that Tamil actors will always choose commercial success and marketability over taking up unconventional roles.
Menon said the commercial nature of Tamil cinema makes actors choose roles that guarantee box office success.
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The focus on marketability makes them less willing to take risks on complex or unconventional characters like Faasil’s in Kumbalangi Nights.
Malayalam actors like Faasil are more open to experimenting with different roles including those that tackle complex social issues.
He also said that Tamil cinema remakes successful Malayalam films but doesn’t take up similar content unless it has already worked.
This is another example of Tamil cinema’s cautious approach where only tried and tested formulas are accepted.
Menon’s statement in a nutshell. Tamil cinema chooses commercial roles that guarantee box office and Malayalam cinema chooses actors who are willing to take risks and play diverse socially relevant characters. That’s why Malayalam cinema gets to experiment.
