Was nervous acting with Suriya, took 'Karuppu' for the Malayali role: Indrans

For many watching Karuppu, the surprise has not been Suriya’s screen presence. That was expected. What audiences did not see coming was how deeply Indrans would end up affecting the film.

“I was actually scared to act in another industry, especially in a film with Suriya,” Indrans admitted in an interaction with Onmanorama. “Since it was a performance-heavy role in a new language, I was tense. The only reason I finally agreed was because the character was a Malayali.”

That instinctive hesitation now feels ironic, considering the actor’s performance has emerged as one of the most talked-about aspects of the film as it heads into its third day in theatres with strong collections.

Indrans plays Sukumaran, a Malayali man desperately trying to recover stolen gold from a police station, jewellery meant for his daughter Binu, played by Anagha Ravi. In another actor’s hands, the role could have easily become overly sentimental. But Indrans plays Sukumaran with remarkable restraint, allowing the character’s helplessness and desperation to surface quietly rather than theatrically.

The actor revealed that he initially declined the project altogether. It took repeated calls from director RJ Balaji and the team to finally convince him.

“They kept telling me the character was Malayali. That made me feel slightly relieved,” he said. “Otherwise, I probably would not have done the film.”

Indrans also spoke candidly about meeting Suriya for the first time, admitting that the star’s image intimidated him initially.

“This was the first time I was seeing him so closely, so naturally I felt nervous,” he said. “But he was extremely humble and lovable. In fact, his humility itself makes you feel awkward around him.”

That warmth seems to have stayed with the actor long after filming wrapped. According to Indrans, he has been receiving calls from friends and people within the Tamil industry appreciating his performance in Karuppu.

The film, directed by RJ Balaji, follows Karuppu, played by Suriya, as he gets pulled into a compromised legal system controlled by advocate Baby Kannan, played by the director himself. Alongside Indrans, the film also features several Malayalam actors including Swasika, Unnimaya Prasad and Aju Varghese.

Despite the positive response, Indrans says he still remains cautious about taking up more Tamil films.

“I am comfortable in Malayalam because that is what I know best,” he said. “Tamil is a deeply respected language and I never want to go there and accidentally disrespect it because of my limitations with the language.”

The actor added that veteran actor Jagathy Sreekumar had once advised him that artists often experience the most creative freedom in their own language and culture.

That honesty perhaps explains why Indrans feels so natural in Karuppu. There is no visible effort to impress, no dramatic flourish designed to demand applause.