Making of an actor

The gangster in the film Jigarthanda defied all stereotypes. He could be a cold-blooded killer one moment, and in the next, could break into peals of laughter with his tomfoolery. Actor Bobby Simha, who essayed the role of ‘Assault’ Sethu, went on to win the National Award for his memorable performance.

Bobby honed his talent in films including Karthik Subburaj’s Pizza, the bilingual flick Neram directed by the Malayalam filmmaker Alphonse Putharen, and Soodhu Kavvum, where he played the role of a kidnapper and proved a perfect foil to the film’s hero Vijay Sethupathi. The actor, whose passion for the craft saw him making rounds of film studios and working in insignificant roles, is now one of the top heroes in Kollywood. Bobby also had an useful stint with the Chennai-based theatre group, Koothu-P-Pattarai.

The big break
It was acclaimed director Nalan Kumaraswamy who gave Bobby one of his early breaks, after seeing him in a small role in the film Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi. The role of the kidnapper Pagalavan was brief, and just like the one in Neram, could be classified as an extended cameo at best. The film that catapulted him to the top slot was Jigarthanda. Bobby prepared himself for the role by interacting with reformed gangsters. ‘Assault’ Sethu was a character with different shades, and while in the first half of the film, he was a chillingly menacing villain, the second half saw him at his hilarious best. For an actor in his 20s, playing the role of a 40-year-old don may have seemed like a tall order. But filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj gave the young actor full freedom to interpret the role in his own way.

Bobby is the pick of the heroes with varied characters coming his way. However, not all his films have clicked at the box-office. He chose films including Avial and Meera Jaakirathai, which brought his career down a notch or two. Nonetheless, the actor ensured that he had meaty roles in all the films including Ko 2, where he shared the screen with Prakash Raj, Urumeen, where he was cast as the hero, Aadama Jaichomada and Iraivi.

Apart from Kollywood, Bobby also tried his hand at Malayalam films, but without much success. Bangalore Natkal, a Tamil remake of the Malayalam film Bangalore Days, also sank without a trace. In stark contrast to the fiery roles that he is usually saddled with, Bobby played a softie in Bangalore Natkal. The actor has now decided to cut down on his assignments in the coming days, as working without a break has affected his health. Having worked 24/7 to complete eight films in eight months, Bobby is now choosing his films carefully to ensure that he takes up just two or three a year.

A few films on which he has worked on this year include the recently-released Paambhu Sattai, Vallavanukku Vallavan and Kavalai Vendam. The film Urumeen holds a special place in Bobby’s heart, as Reshmi Menon, the heroine in the film, has become his leading lady in real life as well. A diehard fan of superstar Rajinikant, Bobby is extremely keen to work with the legendary actor, and would jump at any offer that comes his way, even if it is only a small role. With a number of new entrants in the fray, filmmakers are spoilt for choice, and every actor has to be on his toes all the time. But versatile performers like Bobby have a definite edge as they can fit into any role that comes their way with ease.