I’m thankful to God for giving me this funny face: Brahmanandam

“Reacting is more difficult than acting,” says Brahmanandam who has completed 784 films and 24 years in the Telugu film industry. Comedy actors just have funny bones but not all great actors can do comedy. It is a particular skill, not the most difficult, but yes, it requires a slightly better sense of timing. Recollecting his very best recent roles in Pokiri, Dhee and Yamadonga Brahmanandam attributes the success to the directors who created the characters and believed that he can do justice to them.

He says, “In Pokiri I played a forty year balding man, pot bellied who had immense confidence in himself that Ileana would definitely fall for him, in Dhee it was all about reacting to a situation and in Yamadonga, with due respect to Allu Ramalingaiah I attempted Chitragupta’s role. Since I was a Telugu lecturer, I had a grip over the diction. At the end of the day, performing a comedy scene is like narrating a joke. The joke may be wonderful but if it is not narrated with the right flair, the right expressions, the right timing, it will fall flat. A bad actor will kill the best joke and great actor will make the simplest joke work.”

Brahmanandam denies he is the most sought after comedian in the industry and says there is abundant talent and he is merely a drop in the ocean. He adds, “Unlike our neighbouring state, we have so many comedians and all have their own unique style, modulation, and characters have been craved specially for most of them. There is work for all and there is so much unity and co-operation within us which you seldom get to see elsewhere in the Indian film industry.

The actor says he doesn’t want to rush his son into movies. “Gautam made his debut when he was merely 18. He was in the first year of his graduate studies. I am insisting that he complete his studies first and work on his physique and do the homework before plunging full time into movies. I want to plan his career from my side.”

How does Brahmanandam improvise on his work? He replies, “Some kind of inherent flair and liking for comedy, the sensitivity to imbibe the funnier and the more humorous influences from the atmosphere i.e., observation, a good sense of humour, the ability and the habit of playing with words and phrases and finally some kind of goal in life apart from earning money.”  

How is that possible? “During my birthdays or when ever I find time I go to the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology just like that to spend time with the patients. Dr. Nageswar Reddy (Dr. Nageswar Reddy and Brahmannadam have been awarded doctorates from the Nagarjuna University) said that whenever I am with them he finds some kind of change in the patients. The momentary happiness, the smile that my presence provides is also a therapy he opines. That provides me immense satisfaction. I am thankful to God for giving me a funny face.”