TAMIL DIRECTOR GAUTHAM MENON ON HIS ACTING GIG
Role call
“I was surprised to receive a call from Fahadh Faasil who mentioned that director Anwar Rasheed wanted to meet me for a project. Anwar came down to Chennai and offered me the role of Solomon Davis. For me, it was about the director, actor and I had heard so much about Amal Neerad’s crew. I believe everyday is a learning. I wanted to be in the midst of this brilliant team.”
The character
“Solomon Davis believes in business and money — a no-holds-barred man. He is very quiet and scheming, even if he is saying a few things, there is a layer that he does not reveal. He is also someone who gets down to getting things done. With grey shades to him there is a mysterious air about him. Anwar described the character well. I made sure I got the lines right. I enjoyed playing Solomon, except for the last scene-you will understand when you watch the film.”
Being directed
“There were only four to five shots a day. In between shots, I had three to four hours to myself. Working in the Malayalam industry was a nice and learning experience. The crew spend so much time setting up a shot and you understand why — they get it perfect. I loved being directed by Anwar. In Trance, small roles were taken on by big actors. They worked like a family. When shooting, we were hanging around and chatting. I enjoyed their company a lot. I am looking forward to being a big part of the Malayalam film industry and in talks with actors including Fahadh Faasil. I like the way the audience accepts new films in the Malayalam industry.”