A finer side of acting

One of the recent Malayalam films that fetched tidy returns at the box-office was Vellimoonga (Barn Owl), a comic caper for which director Jibu Jacob wielded the megaphone.

A striking feature of the film was the performance of its leading man Biju Menon, who essayed the role of a wily politician with a great deal of finesse. Incidentally, the film also marked the return of Biju as a leading man, a good 13 years after he played a solo hero in Megamalhar, opposite his wife-to-be Samyukta Varma.

The tall and strapping actor first hit the limelight with television soaps and made his debut on the silver screen with Puthran, a sequel to Mikhayelinte Santhathikal, way back in 1995. He soon realised that it would be an uphill task to stay afloat as a hero in an industry monopolised by the likes of Mammootty and Mohanlal.

Biju shifted gears and settled for parallel or even negative roles and has never had to look back since. With over a 100 films under his belt, Biju has proved his versatility in the varied characters and remains a prime pick for A-list producers and directors.

A lucky mascot

Biju has been a favourite of successful directors like Lal Jose, who has cast him in meaty roles in several of his films. Biju has starred in many of Jose’s films including Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, Chandranudikkunna Dikhil, Randam Bhavam, Pattalam, Rasikan, Chanthupottu, Mulla and Spanish Masala.

Fortunately for Biju, he has managed to avoid being stereotyped as he has always chosen his roles with care ensuring that he does not get pigeon-holed. Other films where he delivered powerhouse performances include Gaddama, Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu, Marykkundoru Kunjaadu and Pakida.

Biju has not been concentrating on emotionally-charged roles, but has shown a preference for light and frothy characters with comic elements. However, offbeat directors like T V Chandran, Kamal and Lenin Rajendran have also reposed faith in him.

Double impact

The Kunchako Boban-Biju Menon pair has often been referred to as the Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill of Mollywood, with the burly Biju excelling in stunt sequences a la Bud Spencer.

From films including Ordinary, Mallu Singh, Romans, 3 Dots, down to their latest Bhaiya Bhaiya, the duo have been able to strike a good bond as do-gooders fighting crime in tandem and turning up trumps.

Many of these films have been made on shoestring budgets, but enjoyed a good commercial run. Many successful filmmakers have been making a beeline to sign them in their future films.

Biju Menon has several films on the floor and some of his projects include the one with actor director Lal’s son Jean Paul Lal. A number of other films like Vazhve Mayam, Pankaayam and Paavada are in various stages of production and there are other projects like Veettachan and Ithano Valiya Karyam are in the pipeline as well.

Biju and his friends who produced the film Chettayis, in which Biju played one of the five heroes, are also set to work their magic again in a new film. The actor, who had done a number of films with Suresh Gopi, now matches strides with the younger lot including Unni Mukundan and Fahadh Fazil.

Beyond Mollywood

Biju has often been seen in Tamil films, predominantly in negative roles. Some of the films that have done well include Porkalam, Arasangam, Pazhani, Agaram, Thambi, June R and Majaa.

The actor’s status in Malayalam cinema has influenced Tamil filmmakers who have always given him good billing and author-backed roles as well. His Telugu films like Khatarnak with Ravi Teja and Ranam with Gopichand have allowed him to widen his fan base in Tollywood as well.

Biju has won the Kerala State Award for his performances in films like Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu and T D Dasan VI B and sees this as a recognition of his talent.

The actor has also confessed that he has a preference for character roles as they offer him a wider scope to showcase his talent. With his slot in Malayalam films secure, Biju, who has a high success rate as a commercial artiste, looks to the future with a great deal of confidence.