Playing real role in reel life

On a different field

For daily soap viewers, R Ramesh Kumar needs no introduction. Though an actor, he is a politician first, who forayed into the world of art — a friendship call.

It was 10 years ago, when renowned director and actor T N Seetharam offered Ramesh Kumar a role in his mega serial ‘Asphota’. Both Ramesh Kumar and Seetharam are friends, sharing equal interest for having roots in the socialist background.

Like every politician vary of donning greasepaint, Ramesh Kumar declined the offer. But, Seetharam was not ready to give up. He invited Ramesh Kumar again when he launched ‘Manvantara’, another mega serial. Ramesh Kumar who had till then not evinced any interest in acting, readily accepted the offer. Since then there is no looking back for Ramesh Kumar, who is a hugely popular artiste.

Ramesh Kumar played the role of a chief minister (one thing that remains the dream of every neta in real) in ‘Manvantara’. Coming from a socialist background, Ramesh Kumar essayed the role with elan, living up to the expectations of Seetharam. “Seetharam knows my feeling towards the people and wants me to convey the message, which is impossible in real life”, asserts Ramesh Kumar to City Herald, during his recent visit to the city.

He reaches the post of chief minister foiling the plans of his own guru. He upholds the spirit of justice and maintains a neat political career. He also confronts with the situation, where he had to deal with a corrupt officer in his brother-in-law. He initiates action against him, ignoring pressure.

Now, he is playing the role of a Union minister for forests and environment in the ongoing serial- ‘Mukta Mukta’. It’s not just another role, but a way of paying tribute to his mentor K H Ranganath, who passed away recently.

 A politician par excellence, Ranganath had served as a minister of forest, besides handling various other ministerial posts. “I am reliving the role of my guru as a forest minister”, says Ramesh Kumar about his on screen performance, where he takes an industrialist to task for seeking permission for a project at the cost of green cover.

Like every other director, Seetharam gives Ramesh Kumar an input of the scene. Unlike others, he gives him (Ramesh Kumar) the freedom to change the dialogues, if found apt for the situation. Likewise, he has added a few more lines on several occasions, recalls Ramesh Kumar.

If you find his dialogue delivery very meticulous, it is nothing but natural as he speaks in the same way in real life too.

Ramesh Kumar was also offered a role in ‘Mukta’ before ‘Mukta Mukta’, but had to stay away following elections. He lost the polls. Acting has kept me alive among the masses, says Ramesh Kumar without any inhibition.

Recently, he had been abroad to his daughter’s place and was surprised to know that his popularity has crossed boundaries. There were many there, who were eager to know about my role.

However, playing a husband on screen was embarrassing. “My wife too found it difficult to imagine any other woman playing the role, though for reel, and she complained, Ramesh said.

By acting in the serial, he has joined the league of politicians who were lucky to play real life characters on screen too — albeit big or small.