Pinku Pillai with his family in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi.-Supplied photo
Abu Dhabi - The film will release on May 11.
Published: Sun 6 May 2018, 12:00 AM
Updated: Tue 8 May 2018, 3:03 AM
Indians associate almost all life incidents with cine scenes and an average Indian's day is not complete without mentioning cinema. It is also a fabled world which everyone craves to enter.
Indian expat Pinku Pillai too harboured similar dreams from childhood and after years of struggle, he has finally become part of a Malayalam cinema.
"I am living a dream. This is a great start for me - to feature in a cinema with National Film Award winner Suraj Venjaramoodu in the lead. I have finally found the light at end of the tunnel," said Abu Dhabi-based Malayali civil engineer.
"I am from Kollam district and my film craze started during childhood. My first audition was at 13 years. They charged Rs500 as fees for a TV serial role but it didn't work out. My parents discouraged me from further forays, but I continued with theatre and skits in school and college. I later joined Ayanam Theatre and Kollam Pratibha. Sunil Ayanam, the owner of the group, goaded me to eye the big league."
Pinku continued with theatre, acted in few albums and a documentary. Meanwhile, he kept meeting directors, producers and artists seeking a chance.
"This is the only way for outsiders to get a break. I kept knocking at doors but there was no answer. Financial woes made me land in Abu Dhabi in 2003 but the dream kept me awake. I found solace through performances at the Mussafah Arts Society (MAS) and my comedy skit as a hotel supplier was well-received. The MAS members, Kannan and Subhash, encouraged me," Pinku said looking back at past years.
And in May 2017, Pinku got to know about the audition in Dubai for a new cinema.
"There were some 2,000 aspirants. There were four rounds and workshops. I got selected and, eventually, my nine-year-old son Arjun too got the nod. He is a student at the Abu Dhabi Indian School Al Wahtba and has won few competitions too," added the proud father.
Film 'Kuttanpillayude Sivarathri' is a hilarious tale of a police constable managing a host of relatives at his home during a temple festival. The film will release on May 11. It has dozen first-timers from actors, support staff and production support based in the UAE.
"Many are first-timers. This shows that we should never give up on our dreams. I thank my wife Renjini Pillai and my son Adityakrishna for being understanding and supporting me all these years," concluded Pinku.
Father-son share same frame
The film 'Kuttanpillayude Sivarathri' where Pinku Pillai plays a close relative of lead actor Suraj Venjaramoodu, is set for release on May 11. "My first shot was a memorable one as my son was in the same frame. It was an unforgettable moment and I don't know how many other actors have had similar blessings," he said. "I was scared but luckily my first shot was done without any retakes. I overheard comments 'Pinku exceeded expectations'. It was a goose bump moment and left me in tears."
He said that lead actor Suraj never had any starry airs and would always advise on how to improvise. "The director, co-artist and even spot boys all made me feel comfortable. It was a family atmosphere and helped with film's comic tone."
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com
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