I am now officially a method actor: Shaam

In a day and age when Tamil cinema is demanding realism from its actors like never before, it comes as no surprise that some serious actors are willing to take an extra step to ensure that they do justice to a role. Actor Shaam is no different, and to ensure that he plays his character as real as possible, he even let preparations take a toll on his health.

“The script demanded that I look like someone who hadn’t slept for days and is tired with life and his situation as he traverses through six cities. To ensure that I looked the part, I avoided sleeping for a week before the shoot and ensured that my eyes swelled up, to enhance the look,” opens Shaam as we catch up with him in Chennai.

But how did you know it would work out so well, we ask, generally concerned. “Well, in 2006, I was shooting on a particularly long and demanding schedule and noticed that my eyes swell up if I don’t sleep too well and so I decided to make use of it. It worked wonderfully well, and the pictures will prove that point,” Shaam explains.

With almost the whole film completed, we ask Shaam how his family and friends reacted to his out-of-the-way look and he answers, “My mother even refused to look at me and so did my wife and kids. They couldn’t bear to see me in that condition. It took me another four days of proper sleep after the shoot for me to look normal again, but I loved theexperience.”

So, is he now a method actor? (Laughs) “I have always tried to be a method actor, but this scene in particular demanded a lot out of me. Yes, I think I am now officially a method actor,” Shaam enthuses.

“What was funnier is how nobody recognised me during those days; I had to keep telling people that I was Shaam. That was indeed quite an interesting experience,” he adds.

Were there any other such strange reactions, we prod further. “Well, there actually was when I’d come to Bangalore for a bit and was sharing my photos, actor and friend Sudeep literally screamed at me for playing around with my looks. He told me that my face was my asset and that I should never again mess around with it. It’s amazing to share such a relationship with another actor and while I promise to never push myself so far again… I have been bitten by the realism bug and am looking forward to challenging roles like this in the future too,” Shaam reveals.

With most questions answered, we ask Shaam about his future plans and he indulges us. “This movie (‘6’) should be out by August or September and I just signed on a new film in Telugu called Action. I will be sharing the screen with Allari Naresh, Vaibhav, Sneha Ullal, Kamna Jethmalani and a few more characters yet to be cast,” Shaam concludes.