I choose a film now based on how much it challenges me as an actor: Indrajith

In the past few years, Indrajith has never been in a hurry to sign films, but he has ensured that whichever movie he did take up left an indelible impression on the audience — be it Amar Akbar Anthony, Vettah or Kaadu Pookkunna Neram.
The actor, who is currently awaiting the release of Lakshyam, tells us about being choosy of late, shooting in the forests again and being handcuffed to Biju Menon in a scene in the film…
Director Anzar Khan’s Lakshyam is your second consecutive release with a forest as its backdrop…
I didn’t choose it because it had a forest as its backdrop.Anzar had told me the thread of the film way before I did Kaadu Pookkunna Neram. My first acting venture was a telefilm directed by Viji Thampy sir that I did while in college. Anzar Khan had assisted in the project, so we know each other from that point of time. Like they say, there is a time for everything, and Anzar’s making his directorial debut only now. But this film has got a stellar team — Jeethu, who is a close friend of Anzar’s, has written the script and Biju Menon is part of the film too. The movie is based on the acclaimed telefilm Mukhamukham that Anzar did a few years ago. When we first discussed the thread, the cast was different but somehow they finally zeroed in on Biju Menon and me for the movie.
What is the film about?
It’s a story about two convicts. They are transported from one prison to another and en route their jeep meets with an accident. Both of them are handcuffed together, and their first instinct is to flee. And they get lost in the woods. That’s when they contemplate who they are, what they are convicted for, and the film explores their backstory and mindset.
Both their crimes are different — one is a murder convict while the other is a petty criminal. One knows that if he gets back, he will be in trouble while the other will be released within a month or two. So, one convict wants to escape while the other doesn’t.
I play Vimal, who is an IT professional in the film. How he ended up as a convict is part of the story. Biju Menon’s character is totally different from mine, and how they help as well as confront each other take the plot forward. It’s natural for two people to have differences in opinion but when they are bound by a handcuff they are forced to come to a mutually beneficial solution. The movie is about such interesting conflicts between them while they are in the wild for three to four days.
It’s got a lot of action scenes as well?
Not action scenes per se. There is a lot of running in the movie. Since the convicts are missing, a convoy of police keep chasing them. It’s more of a thriller. It’s a Jeethu Joseph script, so you know what to expect. I think that thrilling element will be the USP of the movie and would work in its favour.
Shooting in the forest might have been a different experience?
Shooting inside the woods is very difficult. People think it’s easy because you don’t need artificial sets; you just have to get there and start filming. But that’s not true. Getting the equipment to the forest through the uneven terrain is itself a task. All the time we are either climbing a hill or descending. All of this takes a lot of time. Also, Biju Menon and I had a lot of running sequences in the film and we were handcuffed together. That wasn’t easy at all. If one slips and loses his balance, the other also falls. It was a physically straining film for Biju Menon and I, and we are hoping it all pays off.
How is it working with him?
Though we have shared screen space in a lot of films like College Days and Baba Kalyani, it’s the first time we have so many combination scenes together. He’s a breeze to work with. Personally, we are very close to each other. He’s a great actor and an even better co-star. We could improvise a lot while on the sets because of the comfort level we share with each other.
Of late, you are picking movies with a team that you are comfortable working with. Be it Tiyaan that has Prithviraj, Murali Gopy and Jiyen Krishnakumar or Kaadu Pookkuna Neram, which was you third film with Dr Biju. Any particular reason?
I personally feel that I have reached a stage where as an actor I have to challenge myself. Obviously the script has to be exciting for me to pick it up. That said, I feel I have been able to prove that I am a good actor through the movies I have done. Now, I also look at films with a perspective of how it would push me as an actor. It’s a conscious decision to cut down on the number of films. I am choosy and I want to do films at a slow pace. I want to take my time, prepare for my roles and then do a film.
This way you also get to spend a lot of time with family as well as pursue your passion of biking?
Well, that depends. I shot for almost 80 days in Hyderabad for Tiyaan last year. Then I got back and did Lakshyam in Vazhachal forests in Athirappally. In Hyderabad, my family kept visiting me. This month, one of my films was supposed to start but that got delayed. So, luckily when my daughters’ vacations began, I am free for a month. I am making the most of it. I am doing my biking and stuff, and also travelling with children. It’s a good phase. I have a few projects lined up from next month, starting with Sajid Yahiya’s Mohanlal, which has Manju Warrier in the lead.
How has Tiyaan shaped up?
It’s one of the bigger films in Malayalam in terms of budget. The money is not spent on VFX but on the massive sets and in terms of the number of people in a scene. You could see whatever is spent reflecting on the screen. It’s a film we are all eagerly looking forward to release.