Officer on Duty actor Jagadish on Kunchacko Boban, the villainous role in Marco and more | Exclusive interview

For most of the 90s kids and reels-loving Gen Z, Jagadish is synonymous with Appukuttan from In Harihar Nagar despite portraying several character roles. The Malayalam actor, who has transitioned into more serious roles since the 2020s, truly upped his game and went all out villainy in Unni Mukundan’s Marco. After the evil villain in Marco, Jagadish dons the seemingly simple avatar of a bus conductor in Officer on Duty, starring Kunchacko Boban, which releases on February 20, 2025.

In an exclusive interview with OTTPlay, Jagadish talks about his latest film, the desire to explore more villainous roles, upcoming projects and more. Excerpts from the interview:

Could you tell us more about your latest release - Officer on Duty?

Officer on Duty is the personal story of a policeman - a story of his duty and commitment. As a family man also, he has certain duties and responsibilities. At the same time, as a family man, how sincere can he be in his duty? My character in this film is Chandrababu, a KSRTC bus conductor, who has a certain stance. Due to some circumstances, the police officer and this conductor cross paths. Is my character innocent in this? Am I being framed or am I really involved in the crime? All this will be explored in the story.

Also read - Kunchacko Boban’s Officer On Duty is pacier and heroic than Joseph: Shahi Kabir | Exclusive 

You played second lead roles with Kunchacko Boban, especially when he was starting out, in several films such as Nakshatratharattu and Sathyam Sivam Sundaram. How different was the experience compared to now?

There is not much difference between then and now. Even though there was a gap, there has always been a warmth in our relationship. I transitioned into serious roles in recent years and he has always stood by me. He called and appreciated my performance in Rorschach, Purusha Pretham and Falimy. When I saw the performance of Chackochan (Kunchacko Boban) in Nna Thaan Case Kodu and Nayattu, I also spoke to him. So, there is always a mutual appreciation.

Both of you have evolved as actors and broke free from your stereotypical images. Kunchacko from chocolate hero roles, and you from comedy roles. How do you evaluate your own growth as an actor and that of Kunchacko?

Both of our career growth can be considered to be the same. I was slightly disappointed with the roles that were coming my way and I concentrated on mini screen. But I did not get disheartened. For 11 years, I was the chief judge of a comedy show. I took a gap like that. When he got repetitive roles, Chackochan also took a break in a different way. And both of us got good breaks after that. So in that sense, there are similarities in our careers.

You played the ruthless villain Tony Isaac in your last major release Marco. How did you approach your role especially since villainy of this magnitude is not common in Malayalam?

All the credit for that should go to Marco writer and director Haneef Adeni. When he offered this role to me, I was really surprised. Not all directors will be brave enough to offer such a role to me. But Haneef was damn sure that I will be able to fulfil it. He was certain that I would be able to perform it the way he wanted. At the same time, I am interested in doing more brutal characters whose villainy is at a level above Marco. But I would be disappointed if I get back-to-back villainy roles. If along with it, I get comedy roles, I would be really happy. For the villain role, it is the character who is cruel and not me. So to perform that would be a challenge. And if I get a role to make audiences laugh in the theatres after the brutal character, I would be very happy. I am waiting for that variety. The character in Marco is not the ultimate in villainy. I am ready to do more. (laughs).

Also read - Marco movie review: Unni Mukundan’s raging portrayal fuels this brutal no-holds-barred revenge thriller 

You also played the negative role of Thankappan Nair in Leela, which is also hard-hitting - considering that a father assaulted his own daughter. Which is more difficult to enact on screen?

For any role, it is not about difficult or easy. We should take up that role as a challenge. For Leela, I am happy that audiences were enraged with Thankappan Nair. I am happy if audiences hate Thankappan Nair for his deeds, and like me for my performance Similarly, if viewers are infuriated at Tony Issac in Marco and like Jagadish more, I am happy. That’s my attitude. Acting is my biggest passion, and would like to do as much as possible.

Your most popular roles would be Mayinkutty in Godfather and Appukuttan from In Harihar Nagar. But do you believe these have led to you being typecast in similar roles?

I never think of it like that. Because of the popularity of Appukuttan, I was able to act as a hero in 40-odd films. So I can never disown such comedy roles. Even while doing hero roles, I simultaneously did comedy roles alongside Mammootty and Mohanlal. Irrespective of the role, we should avoid getting stereotyped or repeating ourselves. Then if our character is different, the performance would be also easy. If we are getting stereotyped characters, then the chances for stereotyped performances are also high. But my luck for 2024 has been that I got all different characters, so the performance was also different. But in 2025, if I do a character that is just like the one in Marco, viewers will say he is doing the same thing. He is repeating himself. I am praying that let me not get such a role, or accept it, but even if I do, I hope to play it differently from Marco.

You have had a terrific run after the 2020s, with notable performances in Neru, Falimy and Rorschach. Do you think any one particular performance was the catalyst for the change?

Leela has been a game-changer role for me. Everything after that has been different. The cop in Rorschach is not the policeman in Purusha Pretham. The father role in Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil is different from the one in Falimy. The character in Falimy is a representative of a typical middle-class man who likes to drink and doesn’t take much responsibility. On the other hand, the father in Vaazha was initially very strict and then became accepting of the young generation. And the father in Hello Mummy is a helpless man with a spirit. Not just these, Kishkindha Kaandam, Ajayante Randam Moshanam, and Abraham Ozler all had different roles. And I am grateful to the directors and writers for these roles. You can’t pinpoint one among these. I am eager to prove my acting prowess but I need to get characters like that. For that, one also needs to be lucky.

Also read - Purusha Pretham review: This satire flips all the tropes of police procedurals. A must watch 

Now that the roles you have been getting are more serious in nature - Rorschach, Neru, or even villainous roles in Marco and Abraham Ozler. Do you feel like taking a break from such roles and returning to comedy?

Just because I am getting serious roles now doesn’t mean I will only do such characters. I really love humorous characters and films. I have an upcoming film Parivar, releasing on March 7. Indrans, me and Prashanth Alexander play three humorous characters in that. You can say that I am once again doing a comedy role in that. After that, I have Asif Ali-starrer Aabhyanthara Kuttavaali where I play a cunning advocate.

The movie after that is Dheeran, which stars Rajesh Madhavan, along with Manoj K Jayan, Jagadish, Vineeth, Ashokan, Shabareesh and Sudheesh. I have a matured role in that though Sudheesh and Vineeth have more humourous dialogues. Mine is more like a Thilakan chettan-type role or that used to be done by Nedumudi Venu. Ultimately, it is not about comedy, sad or cruel, I am waiting for different roles. Anything different from what I have done before.

Some of the best comedy films that people still relate to are from the late 80s, and 90s era, including Gajakesariyogam that you were a part of. What is your opinion about comedy films now and then?

Even then there were brilliant directors and writers. Today also we have brilliant filmmakers and writers. Even back then, a bad combination of writer and director led to poor results. If a talented writer and director join hands now, they would be able to create comedy like the earlier years. It is about the talent, not the era. Those with talent will excel at all times.

You have also been a writer for notable movies in the 1980s, contributing to the story, dialogues or screenplay - Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu, Manivathoorile Aayiram Sivarathrikal and Adhipan. But since then you have concentrated on acting with one attempt for the film April Fool in 2010. Did you ever consider returning to writing?

I used to write a lot. Now, I am waiting for fresh thoughts. I think of a story while going to bed. But the next day, I will feel that the story is not good enough. This process keeps repeating. Like now, I have got a story. It is not an easy task to write while acting. Even so, I am working on developing certain threads.

Now you are performing along with the current crop of younger actors - Basil Joseph, Tovino Thomas, and Unni Mukundan. You acted as Thilakan’s son in movies in the past and now as the father of his grandson Abhimanyu Thilakan. How has been your experience?

Senior actors such as Thilakan chettan, Madhu sir, Nedumudi Venu or Bharath Gopy - are all institutions. I have been able to work with the generation after that and even the next one after that. I have no qualms about working with the new generation, I have been able to adapt to any situation. I can communicate with Madhu sir and also spend quality time with Abhimanyu Thilakan. I feel it is a good thing.

You even acted in Billu Barber, which starred Shah Rukh Khan and Irrfan Khan. Your experience in Bollywood?

In Hindi, I worked in three films - Hungama, Billu Barber, and Kushti. I did not do those roles, because I was a must for those films. There is a factor of friendship. Billu Barber was the remake of the Malayalam film Katha Parayumpol, so Priyadarshan cast me. For Hungama, Priyadarshan wanted to give me a role. Kushti was the Hindi remake of Rajpal Yadav’s Mutharamkunnu PO. So, TK Rajeev Kumar gave me an opportunity as I was the writer for the Malayalam film. If I have friends, I am interested in working again in Hindi or Tamil. It should be those who understand us, then the language barrier would not affect us so much. Though I get offers from Tamil, the main problem is that the dates will clash. They have two or three schedules, so it will clash with the continuity here - that is the main issue.

About your upcoming projects?

I have several movies such as Pariwar, Aabhyanthara Kuttavaali with Asif Ali releasing on April 3, and Dheeran on May 3. There is also an untitled movie with Mathew Thomas, which is likely to release in May. Then there is the movie Appuram The Other Side by filmmaker Indu Lakshmi. I have a really good role in that film, which got selected in the competition section of IFFK. We are trying to release that film in theatres. Three-four projects are lined up. I have a major role in filmmaker Padmakumar’s upcoming project. I am also in discussion with a new director for a project that also has Parvathy Thiruvothu. The script is ready, we are yet to lock the producer and other aspects. Also, my first web series Krishand’s 4.5 Gang will premiere on SonyLiv in March or April. It was initially titled Sambhava Vivaranam Nalarasangham. I have also committed to another Krishand film - tentatively titled Masthishka Maranam (brain death). That will start shortly.