(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Busy wrapping up Lal Bahadur Shastri a film that sees him returning to comedy and soon to join director Priyadarshans next Aamayum Muyalum Jayasoorya is energised by the praise that Apothecary has earned him.‘ Supplied photo
A small film with a big heart’ - that is how director Madhav Ramadasan’s new film Apothecary is being described by filmgoers and critics. A ‘medical thriller’ that exposes the ugly underbelly of modern hospital administration the film has underlined the credentials of Madhav who earlier directed Melvilasam another powerful movie as a director of substance.
While Apothecary has earned big praise for its key protagonist Suresh Gopi it has also put another key member in the cast – Jayasoorya – once again in the spotlight. Riding high on the success of Punyalan Agarbathis which he also produced Jayasoorya went through tremendous physical hardships to portray the role of Subin Joseph a patient who is under the care of the doctor played by Suresh Gopi.
Busy wrapping up Lal Bahadur Shastri a film that sees him returning to comedy and soon to join director Priyadarshan’s next Aamayum Muyalum Jayasoorya is energised by the praise that Apothecary has earned him.
“People say it is the best I have performed so far” says Jayasoorya. “But I do not agree. I think the best is yet to come. But Apothecary definitely holds a great place in my heart.”
To play the patient Jayasoorya not only had a total makeover he also lost weight and put himself through the trauma of not having any solid or liquid food for at least three days straight. All he would do was wipe his lips with water. Not surprisingly he collapsed during the shoot.
“I didn’t do it for the heck of it” says Jayasoorya “nor to prove anything. I believed strongly in the role and to be fair to myself and to the audience I had to put in that extra effort. But whatever I had done for the role is nothing compared to the nearly five years of passion and pain that the director gave to the movie.”
Jayasoorya says the movie is extremely relevant to our times as it talks about issues that are seldom discussed in the public realm. “In a state where we can fight for our customer rights even when we buy vegetables the fact that patients could be taken for a ride by unscrupulous hospitals is shocking.”
“Subin needed the look of a terminal patient and I think performing it with sincerity and an extra commitment was important – not only as an actor – but also for highlighting the message of the movie” says Jayasoorya.
He has earlier brought out his ‘societal’ side and also got into trouble by trying to repair a pot-holed road. Ask about how a section of the politicians resent film actors commenting or acting on societal causes and Jayasoorya is as candid as he can get.
“Everyone in our society reacts to the externalities. But when a film actor responds it suddenly gets picked up and played endlessly by the media. People say that actors respond to societal issues to gain publicity. How much more publicity could actors get that films cannot give”
In fact Apothecary too got into trouble after Suresh Gopi had criticised the state’s chief minister for his stance on a proposed new airport.
Jayasoorya says as a common man who has gone through all the hardships in life his response to issues is his personal reaction. “That is not because I am an actor. Sadly whatever we say gets magnified and distorted in the 24/7 news culture of today.”
Jayasoorya is now also readying his first book a collection of his writings for a daily. He asserts that he has no political leanings and his politics is “my country my state and my city – Kochi”.
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