“I come to the sets from my home and reach back there after my shoot - that is another advantage. These were a welcome break from the intense roles I played earlier.” Smiling naughtily he adds, “It gave me ‘relaxation’!” Another reason for his happiness is that Kuttanadan…. “I had fun while shooting for both the films. In Kuttanadan… he plays a wedding photographer and videographer. Shikkari Shambu shows the goof-ups that happen in Shambu’s life. Both the films have a humorous streak to them. Shikkari Shambu and Kuttanadan Marpapa came as breaths of fresh air. The three films that Kunchacko was a part of this year were intense ones. So is there some secret magic mirror that suggests what projects he takes? He laughs it off answering, “I go by my instincts and 90 per cent of the time those instincts are bang on target.” He does not do any homework for his roles nor does he deliberate and ruminate. Most of his roles have earned him critical acclaim. I am still playing romantic roles but now there are different facets to the romance - the romance is more complex.” Now, with the passage of years, that shyness and awkwardness has melted away. Kunchacko frankly says, “Earlier, I was not confident about playing different roles and I was always doubtful if I could carry them off. The chocolate boy image that Kunchacko was well-known for in the past now lies buried under the vast variety of roles that he has breathed life to in recent years. It is the same case with Ramesh!” Kunchacko got time to interact with Ramesh while on the sets of Ramante Eden Thottam, where they acted together, as well as for a stage show in America, where they performed on stage. Even Salim Kumar was perceived to be a comedian till the audience saw the well-informed side to him.
It is Ramesh Pisharody who took him by surprise and makes him go eloquent, “We think of Ramesh as a comedian with his witty one-liners and quips, but he is a person who is knowledgeable about everything around him. The only challenge is that the audience has raised the bar higher and I have to meet those expectations.” Currently, Kunchacko is a part of the Sugeet directorial Shikkari Shambu, Ramesh Pisharody’s directorial Panchavarna Thatha, a cameo as a collector in Diwanji Moola Grand Prix, a cameo in Dhyan Sreenivasan’s film and the lead in Kuttanadan Marpapa by Sreejith Vijayan. Ramante Eden Thottam had him playing a very understated character who was welcomed by the audience. I was under the impression that as I grow older, I would be sidelined for newcomers, but here I am playing the lead roles” he says with wonder in his voice.Ĭhackochan, as he is fondly called, says that Take Off gave him a smooth runway to take off to dizzying heights. Truth be said, I am surprised that in my forties, I am still the first choice for debutant directors. “I have been a part of some good projects this year. Kunchacko is a very happy man and if there was a cloud nine, he would be floating on it. Take Off and Ramante Eden Thottam were hits and Varnyathil Aashanka got him appreciation for his character portrayal.
The smile has only got broader this year with some really good projects that have hit the bull’s eye at the box office.
The affable actor is always armed with a perpetual smile that crinkles his eyes. On screen, Kunchacko Boban has played a plethora of roles that are as different as chalk and cheese.