Took no break from cinema; was left out intentionally: Dharmajan Bolgatty

Popular actor Dharmajan Bolgatty has said he didn’t take any break from films and that he may have been intentionally left out from the industry as no one approached him with any acting opportunity for quite some time.

“I also didn’t call anyone asking for chances. That may be one reason. I’m invited only for roles that specifically require my presence. There are many in the industry who could act in my place. Even if I’m not there, they will get replacements easily,” Dharmajan, also a noted stand-up comedian, said in an interview given to Milestone Makers.

He was replying to a question about his absence from the film industry for some time now. Dharmajan, who was introduced to the industry by actor Dileep, said he felt he was left out of the industry intentionally.

“First, there was this gap due to the Corona factor. Then I don’t approach anyone asking for roles. I haven’t called up anyone in my entire life, pleading for an opportunity. That too may be a factor. Still at dark how I failed to get any chance,” the actor, whose roles in Kattappanayile Rithick Roshan, Aadu, and Aadu 2 rose him to fame, added. 

Dharmajan, who along with his friend Ramesh Pisharody, became a popular comedy duo among the Malayalis, reflected that cinema is one field where there are a lot of replacements for an actor like him. “It was not the case earlier. Now the whole scenario has changed. There are others to do the roles if we are not there. We’re not asking for any roles and they are not providing any. I’ve no complaint about that. All these are a bonus.”

“I’m one who was born in a village and grew through numerous hardships. I started as a mimicry artist and did many stage shows before essaying film roles. So it was a step-by-step growth,” the comedian, a native of Mulavukad, an island off Kochi city, pointed out.

“It was Dileepettan who brought me to the cinema field. I’ve approached none for a role so far. But now I will ask for chances. Actors like Jayasurya and all say they used to ask for chances for getting good roles. Maybe, it was due to some issues of my character that I hesitate to ask for chances. From now onwards, I have to call people for roles. I will do that.”

The actor, though, revealed there were two to three directors like Sathyan Anthikad, Lal Jose, and Siddique, whom he wanted to approach requesting roles in their films. 

“It was my big dream to act in a film directed by Sathyan Anthikad. Once I said this to Innocent chettan. And then one day Innocent chettan called me and said Satyan’s film shooting was progressing in Alappuzha. He asked me to go to the film shooting site and meet the director. But my thought was that I couldn’t simply go to Alappuzha. It was then that I came to know that one of my friends doing bag business in Alappuzha was about to go to the town to make order deliveries. I packed all his bags into my car and went to Alappuzha along with him.”

“I straightaway went to the hotel where Sathyan Anthikad was staying and rung up Innocent chettan. He asked me to wait there. When I asked the receptionist, I was told Satyan sir wasn’t there. I again dialled Innocent chettan, who called up the director. He returned the call and said Satyan Anthikad had gone out to have food and asked me to wait there. After some time, Satyan sir came with several others, including Sreebala K Menon, Benny P Nayarambalam, and Anto Joseph.”

Dharmajan was in a state of wonder and didn’t know what to do. He personally knew the rest of the group members except Sathyan, and exchanged pleasantries.

“But maybe Satyan sir might have seen me only on the television. When he came to my side, he asked, ‘Are you Dharmajan? Yes, Innocent told me about you. I will call you, now you can go’. I was taken aback. After travelling so much distance to request a chance to act in his film, here he was sending me back immediately. But before I reached home, I got a call from him asking me to come for shooting after two days.”

Dharmajan, who was last seen in Thirimali released in January 2022, however, said a couple of films in which he acted are due for release one after the other. It includes Porattu Nadakam along with Saiju Kurup. The shooting of another film, Police Day, being produced by actor Dileep and featuring Tini Tom and Nandalal Krishnamoorthy, is progressing in Thiruvananthapuram. 

“It was Dileepettan who brought me to the film industry. I’m immensely grateful to him. But more than that, he is like my own brother. He treats me the same as Anoop (Dileep’s brother). We all have an idea of how other people will be treating us. Shouldn’t we repose the love shown by them? I can’t just denounce them when they fall in some trouble,” he reflected.

Dharmajan started his Malayalam film career with the film Paappi Appacha (2010), in which he plays the role of Dileep’s driver sidekick. He got featured in numerous films thereafter, establishing himself as a comedy actor. The actor also entered into active politics in 2021 and contested as a UDF candidate from the Balussery constituency in the last assembly elections.