Third time lucky

“It was like a knock on my head,”  This is how Dileep reacted about the best actor award. The actor was  busy with an action sequence in the location of his upcoming flick ‘Nadodi Mannan’ when we met him. When quizzed about the State award during the break, he said that it came as a shocker. “I never expected the award for ‘Vellaripravinte Changathy’. While portraying the character Ravi aka Mukkam Shajahan, a thought of award or acclaim never crossed my mind. I just enjoyed the character and essayed it with ease putting no extra effort or care. But now I am really happy that the  character was chosen for the best actor,” he says.

The movie set in 1960-70 period had Dileep playing the role of a cine artist. The theme itself gave an actor like Dileep,  also a talented mimicry artist, an extra space for imitating yesteryear actors. But he resisted the temptation. “I tried to portray the character in my own style and deliberately tried to avoid imitating yesteryear actors. But still, in that song sequence people doubted whether I had given a try. But to be honest, I never did. And the song ‘Pathinezhinte...’, is one of my favourites,” he says.

He believes that he was sidelined twice in the race for the best actor -  “First for ‘Kunjikkoonan’ and then for ‘Chanthupottu’.” He did not hide his disappointment too. “The majority of  my fans, friends and well wishers told me that I would win the state award. Apart from getting special mention for ‘Chanthupottu’,  the announcement was a big blow to me. I pacified myself stating that awards were not destined for me.  Though I am trying to erase that thought from the mind the award is  yet to sink in,” he says.

Meanwhile, the actor got a call on his mobile. After a brief talk the actor returned smiling. “It was Mammukka (Mammootty). He told me that he had watched all the movies that came in the final round. He congratulated me and said that I did a splendid job. That is one of the biggest compliments and now I am slowly trying to take it in, that is I have become an award winning actor,” he says.