Officer On Duty star Kunchacko Boban: I've strived to ensure that I deserve this appreciation | Exclusive

Even though Malayalam actor Kunchacko Boban has turned a new leaf in the past decade, evoking fear is not an aspect that you would associate with any character he has played so far. But that’s exactly what he achieves within the first 10 minutes of his latest superhit Officer On Duty, which is running to packed houses since its release last week.

In an exclusive and candid interview with OTTplay, the star talks about playing the conflicted character of CI Harishankar in the Jithu Asharaf directorial, the feedback he has been receiving for his character and what this success means to him and his career.

With CI Harishankar in Officer On Duty, do you feel that you evoke a sense of fear in people’s minds, as opposed to how you really are?

In movies like this, usually the climax sequences are crucial for it to work with the audiences. But in case of Officer On Duty, if the first scene didn’t work, it didn’t matter how good its climax was because that character’s mindset had to register and appeal to the viewer. It was a risky call, and fortunately, the audience too received it the same way we hoped they would. So, the truth is because the take off was good, the landing was also fine.

Also read: Officer On Duty movie review: An intense Kunchacko Boban powers this gripping thriller, arrested only by its commercial trappings 

How thrilled are you about the feedback of the film? And judging from how happy you are, this also seems very important to you.

Of course. You could compare this with my first movie, Aniyathipraavu. I didn’t think it would become such a big hit, or the character of Sudhi would remain etched in the minds of people. With Harishankar and Officer On Duty too, I felt the same. In the case of both films and characters, people’s acceptance has been 100 times more than we expected them to be. So, it’s a landmark moment for me in my career.

In the past few years with films like Nayattu, Ariyippu and Officer On Duty, you seem to relish being comfortable in the uncomfortable. In this film, particularly, you had to access dark corners of a character, who is still suffering from the trauma of his past.

The truth is I enjoy this uncomfortable zone. If you love what you do, you will be up for whatever hardships that come along the way. In the early phases of my career, honestly, I didn’t have that fire in me. I still doubt if I was deserving of all accolades and appreciation that I got in the first innings of my career. But since I came back after a gap, I have strived to ensure that I gave my very best to deserve all this support from the audience. I wanted to give them back more than what they gave me.

If you’d ask me why this character was so impactful, there are several factors and people I want to credit. Of course, its scriptwriter Shahi Kabir; he was well aware of every aspect of Harishankar’s professional and personal life – his trauma, struggles and issues. Even though this is Jithu Ashraf’s first film, he has several years of experience in the film industry – both as an actor and a technician. He is someone who decided to wait for years and let go of opportunities, just because he wanted his first film to be the very best. Then there’s producer Martin Prakkat, composer Jakes Bejoy, editor Chaman Chakko, cinematographer Roby Raj Varghese, make-up artiste Ronex Xavier, costume designer Sameera Saneesh and my co-actors. All their inputs led to the final output in terms of the performance on screen.

Be it the editing pattern or the music, all of it helped in showing the different sides of Harishankar, especially when he is a terror to his colleagues or when he is emotionally vulnerable. This helped connect him to the audience. So, I credit each and everyone for helping me make this one of the best characters in my career so far.

The way the makers have constructed Harishankar’s journey was also unusual for a film of this genre in Malayalam, because initially he is feared by many and then they take the audience through his trauma before he is put in a place where he can redeem himself. At one point, for Harishankar to connect with the audience, he has to get their empathy, else it could have been a character that could have been more negative than grey. Did all of this make it even more challenging compared to the other roles you have played?

There could be scenes that many would feel are politically incorrect. But if you look at what’s happening around us, Harishankar has done only what a vast majority of people want to happen. The movie addresses why such atrocities happen in society. When there are loopholes within the legal system that would let criminals get away, this film shows how the punishment should be meted out, as wished by the majority. That’s also the success of the film.

At one point, the movie addresses that Harishankar is not just a police officer, he’s also a father. That says a lot. It’s also because of this that a lot of parents and even my friends reached out to me after watching the film and told me that they got worried about their children who are studying in places far away and decided to call them. The movie accounts for the fear and tension of today’s parents. The ending might not be the most apt solution to this, but that it can be and that they wish it to be is evident.

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

Even if you look at Harishankar’s character arc, he is not a superhero. He is a comman man, and it’s his predicament that makes him do improbable things. He gets triggered by one incident and that’s what leads to his investigation. At one juncture, you see him faint. He has committed mistakes and he’s not 100% right. When emotions overwhelm him, it’s his wife who takes the bold and sensible decisions.

How did you prepare for this character?

It was an emotionally and physically demanding character and so I had to take some references. I talked to a few psychologists about such people and incorporated their suggestions. People now say that this film has some of the best action choreography in my career. For that to look like that on screen, we had to do a ton of rehearsals. Despite doing all this homework, when you are on sets – everything from your co-stars and make-up to the ambience helps you get into the skin of the character.

You have been active at a time when ‘mass’ action movies were a rage in Malayalam cinema and during a time when rooted-to-reality films connected with the audience the best. Because you had mentioned action, do you subscribe to the view that for an actor to climb a rung, an action film has to succeed?

Maybe. But I have been fortunate to experience the peak in both these phases, and I take that as a blessing. I could sustain my image as a romantic hero for a long time and could experience both the highs and lows that came with it. Now with the action-hero image with this film, I believe the stunts here were grounded. It’s not like that he’s knocking down 30 people and walking in slow motion.

I like to be part of action choreography that is emotionally supported. That’s what will stay in people’s minds. I believe that the best action scene in Malayalam is in Kireedam’s climax because it has that emotional angle.

You have also experienced the ups and downs of success – and not just in your film career. But at this point in your career, how important is success?

It is important. No matter what we do, the final outcome depends on the appreciation we get from the audience. Take the case of Shahi Kabir, he has done critically acclaimed films that have fetched him awards and laurels. But what he said was the acceptance of the audience matters more than any of these. So, success does matter; it’s the award that people give us.

You had also thanked your wife Priya in a warm message, saying this success is something that she too has wished for. It must have been a high.

I have been in this industry for 28 years. I have seen the ups and downs, success and defeats. But this experience doesn’t matter if you are not sensible; as in because you have worked for so long, it doesn’t mean that you will take the right decisions. If someone else tells you what’s practical, logical and right, you should have the sense to accept that. So, I agree with the supportive insights my wife Priya shares with me and as an actor, her feedback has definitely helped me refine and improve my craft.

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