Actor Manikandan Interview: 'Kudumbasthan is self-parody where people will see themselves onscreen and have healthy laugh'

For actor Manikandan, it might have been a hard-hitting character like Rajakannu (Jai Bhim) who gave him the visiting card into the industry. But Motor Mohan (Good Night), and Arun (Lover) deeply resonated with the audience and showed what it is to see themselves on screen. While this in no way belittles the story of Rajakannu which is a very much-needed story to be told, but Manikandan’s latest picks have also given a place for a common man to be reflected and represented onscreen. Be it Mohan’s snoring issue that plays a troublesome point in his life, or Arun’s dysfunctional upbringing that contributes to him being a toxic boyfriend, Manikandan’s choices to bring relatable conflicts onscreen have been garnering much appreciation.

“There is no necessity to make films only with big conflicts. Anything that holds value as a story and can be narrated, is what that matters. In Malayalam, there are even more minute emotions being turned into conflicts and drama. We have started to do it. All that we have to see is if it is engaging, relatable and entertaining. Most important, it is a story that can be told compelling way,” Manikandan says.

Manikandan Interview for Kudumbasthan

Manikandan’s last film Lover was received well, albeit also misconstrued. While the film’s sympathies lay with the female lead who had to bear the brunt of toxicity from her partner, a section of the audience also began to hail Arun’s actions. How does Manikandan see when his films are taken out of context, or sometimes read differently?

“It was result of our shortcoming, and we could have told more palatable. Just like how the film was an experience for those who watched, it was an experience for us as well on what we could have done better for our future films. When we took Lover, director Prabhuram Vyas was careful with every shot, and yet we had some shortcomings. What we inferred from it, is how to be extra cautious.”

Also read: What’s the connection between Lover and Maamannan? Perhaps a section of audience who misunderstood 

In Kudumbasthan, Manikandan plays a married man who faces the burdens of being one. Right from financial struggles, to interpersonal relationships, films of today’s age have begun to unearth and break the desired image of how a family would look like, or rather how they are expected to be. While breaking the conventional norms being broken is a welcome norm, Manikandan addresses, “A happy family’s image is how everyone is together and smiling. But in Good Night, we never showed that, yet we showed family values. In Lover, we had the responsibility of showing Arun’s family as much as we had to show Mohan’s family in Good Night. In fact, we see a lot of Arun’s family rather than Mohan’s. It is true that we do not get to see inclusivity of dysfunctional family narratives in our cinema. But we also wanted to show that no matter what circumstances you come from, it is important to sanitise yourself constantly.”

‘It is a big character study of someone who is there in every family’

What would be the goal for a film like Kudumbasthan? The actor answers that a family man may have so many responsibilities and boggles in a day, and errands to run, failing to do so may make him appear as a failure. “What happens in between the demands kept on a man and when he does it. The challenges and hardships he faces in between to make those wishes come true, are invisible. The adventurous ride of man, and the tale behind it will be told in the story. At the same time, the film also talks about the difficulties of a married woman, and how much efforts she has to take to fit into a family,” he adds. Mentioning how people have to go through sacrifices to be with the family they had, Manikandan says Kudumbasthan is that film that will highlight the intricacies of dabbling through it.

Also read: Lover movie review: Manikandan shines in this tale of love that realistically captures what emotional abuse is 

As the actor says, Manikandan feels that when the script is presented to him which already includes story, character, situation, and emotional behavior, his responsibility is merely to execute it as per the need of the writer. “It is easier than you think. We have given everything, and as a professional, it is our responsibility to deliver it with our performance.”

Mentioning that he craves mentorship, Manikandan says, “I used to tell Vetrimaaran sir about how he had a mentor in Balu Mahendran. I recollect the times when people who had seen in wow have only looked down upon me. But Prasanna Balachandran, (who acted and co-wrote Kudumbasthan) with whom I have worked in the film, would be my biggest takeaway. On the professional side, the film is a laughter riot in a few stretches, and we have made enough efforts to not evoke laughter by just saying anything. It is a big character study of someone who is there in every family. It is a self-parody situation where people will look at themselves onscreen and enjoy.”