Nandu Is On A High!

After playing minor roles for over two decades in several films, 48-year-old Malayalam actor Nandalal Krishnamurthy, popularly known as Nandu, had finally hit pay dirt in the Mohanlal starrer Spirit. The performance in the 2012 film fetched Nandalal the South Indian International Movie Award for the best supporting actor in a Malayalam film.

Nandu has been busy after the success of Spirit, directed by Ranjith. The actor has acted in about 85 films, mostly small roles, since his debut in 1987 but in over one-and-a-half years after Spirit, he has done about 30 movies, including superhit Mammootty starrer Immanuel, directed by Lal Jose. His debut film was 1987 Mohanlal-starrer Sarvakalasala directed by Venu Nagavalli. His relatives had urged Nagavalli to offer him a role as he (Nandu) was whiling away his time. He has acted mostly in Priyadarshan movies, including five Hindi films.

On the super hit movie Spirit, he said "I do not know if Ranjith wrote the script with someone else in mind. But it was he who called me to do the role, and the rest is history." In the movie, Nandu played the role of an alcholic plumber Mani. In the film, there was a scene where Nandu thrashed his wife mercilessly, a role enacted by Kalpana.

"That scene gives me jitters. Kalpana is a good friend, and though you are acting, it took some nerve to beat a woman. But the brutality had to be portrayed on screen, and I just went and did it," he told PTI. It was a lengthy shot, and Ranjith used two cameras. It came out well, he said.

PTI