From child artiste to casting director: Ganapathi on his many roles in cinema and why he wants to direct

For Ganapathi, cinema has never been confined to one role. He entered the industry as a dubbing artist at the age of 10 before moving on to acting, writing, casting and production. After making his mark as a child artiste and later as a supporting actor, he turned co-writer with 'Jan-e-Man' and subsequently took up casting direction with 'Manjummel Boys'.

He expanded his responsibilities further with 'Balan', serving as its casting director and executive producer. Now, he is back in front of the camera with 'Dhoomakethu', adding another acting credit to an already varied filmography.

Ganapathi says his association with 'Dhoomakethu' began while he was shooting 'Balan' in Wayanad. Cinematographer Shyju Khalid was the first to mention the project to him.
"I had no idea about the story at that point. Later, when I learned that Happy Hours, which includes Shyju ikka, was producing the film, I immediately felt that I wanted to do it. I have wanted to be part of this team since I was young," he says.

The film's time-loop premise also caught him by surprise. Director Sudhi came to narrate the story to Ganapathi shortly after he had watched the Hollywood film 'Groundhog Day', which revolves around a similar concept.

"The previous day, I had watched 'Groundhog Day'. It is a film centred around a time loop. So, when Sudhi came the next day and narrated the story of 'Dhoomakethu', I was surprised. It also had a time loop," he recalls.

Ganapathi was particularly impressed by Sudhi's narration and decided to come on board immediately. He also wanted his character's appearance to have a distinct flavour. Since there was no fixed idea about the look initially, he opted for a more rustic appearance, putting on some weight and growing a thick moustache to create the look of a typical village man.

An accidental beginning in casting
Ganapathi's journey as a casting director began almost by accident with 'Jan-e-Man'. The film was directed by his brother Chidambaram, with Ganapathi serving as a co-writer and actor.
"I was involved in all the activities related to the film. That's how I began paying attention to casting as well. Even though it wasn't a conscious decision, that became my first film as a casting director," he says.

His involvement in casting became more deliberate with 'Manjummel Boys', when Chidambaram handed him the responsibility of finding the actors for the film.

The task came with its own challenges. Since 'Manjummel Boys' was based on a real incident, finding actors who could convincingly fit the characters was particularly demanding. The casting process became even more extensive for 'Balan', with thousands of people auditioned before the final cast was selected.

Ganapathi believes casting deserves far greater recognition within the filmmaking process. He points to Hollywood, where casting directors have a more prominent role and are recognised through dedicated awards.

"In Hollywood, the casting director is considered almost as important as the director. There are awards and recognition for outstanding casting directors there," he says.

What makes a good casting director?
Ganapathi's interest in casting goes beyond simply finding actors who fit a particular role. He is fascinated by the process of discovering performers who can bring something unexpected to a character.
He cites the Lebanese film 'Capernaum' as an example. The performance of the child actor who played the lead left a lasting impression on him.

"I was extremely impressed by the performance of the child who played the lead character. I have often wondered how they found and trained that boy," he says.

He also recalls hearing about how Aamir Khan found the child actor for 'Taare Zameen Par' and had him stay with him for six months for training. Closer home, he points to Soubin Shahir's work with the young actors in 'Parava' as another example of the kind of casting process that interests him.

For Ganapathi, the satisfaction comes from finding new talent and giving them an opportunity to become part of a film.

Does Ganapathi want to direct?

Acting and casting may occupy much of his time at present, but directing remains an ambition.

Ganapathi got his first taste of filmmaking behind the camera during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he made the short film 'Onnu Chirikkoo'. The film eventually caught the attention of the producers of 'Jan-e-Man', who approached him and introduced him to Chidambaram's idea for the film.

He later developed several story ideas of his own, but his commitments as an actor and in other areas of filmmaking prevented most of them from progressing.
"I definitely want to direct a film," he says. "If I want to direct a film, I need to put all my other commitments aside and devote at least a year to it."