He has the distinction of winning an international award much before he could even win a State or Filmfare award and has also won the unique honour of emulating one of the biggest legends in Indian cinema, Sivaji Ganesan. When Jeeva won the Best Actor award for his scintillating performance in the offbeat film Raam, he became only the second Tamil film actor to win the award which had been won decades back by Sivaji for Veerapandiya Kattabomman, a film based on the life of one of the earliest freedom fighters who sacrificed his life fighting the British yoke.

Born lucky

Jeeva, incidentally was born with a silver spoon in his mouth being the son of one of the biggest movie moghuls in South Indian cinema R B Chowdhury, the name behind some of the industry’s biggest hits. Jeeva’s entry, however, was rather lowkey and many thought he would soon bid adieu.

Endowed with the looks of a boy next door and a dusky visage and with no credentials to back him, Jeeva was clearly no hero material. Films like Thithikude came and met with lukewarm response. Jeeva was left twiddling his thumbs at home when Raam happened. Raam which explored the nuances of a mother son relationship with the son slightly mentally retarded was directed by Ameer who had not yet become a force to reckon with. The role of the swarthy loyal son seemed tailor made for the rugged Jeeva who really put heart and soul into his performance.

Another break came to him in the film Dishyum where he essayed the role of a stuntman, a character that afforded him ample opportunity to display his brawn and fighting skills. He also hit it off well with the Kadhal heroine Sandhya who was paired with him in the movie which had a good run at the box-office. The outsider suddenly became an insider and Jeeva found himself striking a purple patch. But with the wise counsel of his father, Jeeva has become extremely choosy about his assignments keen as he is to further his career and last longer in the industry.

His father’s production house, Super Good Films, cast him along with ace Malayalam hero Mohanlal in Aran directed by ex army major Ravi and the film had a decent run at the box office though its Malayalam version Keerthi Chakra fared even better. The film had an army backdrop and Jyothika played Jeeva’s love interest in the film which also had a parallel love track running alongside and complementing the army tale.

Recently, Jeeva was again noticed in Katradhu Thamizh earlier titled Thamizh M A, but he is counting on another offbeat film Rameswaram where he has been paired with Bhavana. In this film, Jeeva plays a Sri Lankan refugee and the film will highlight the plight of the Tamils caught in an ethnic conflict that seems never ending.

Simple and unassuming, Jeeva is now hot property in Kollywood and considering the fact that he has a wise head on those young shoulders, should stay on to play long innings. Bracketed along with other successful actors like Vishaal and Bharat, Jeeva though not yet in the league of Vijay or Ajith certainly has it in him to display a whole range of histrionics.