Malayalam Cinema is endowed with rich acting stuff,reflected both by its men and women.In addition to main actors,it has a huge list of talented supporting actors,who make their presence felt,however small their space or role is,in their movies.Some such dynamic actors like Thilakan,Innocent,Kalabhavan Mani,Rajan. P.Dev and Cochin Haneefa are no more today. Jagathi Srikumar has almost retired from the field for personal,(perhaps health) reasons.
Some of the actors mentioned here,have already occupied their due space in this blog.Besides these actors,there are some longstanding men of Malayalam cinema like Saikumar,Vijayaraghavan,Lalu Alex and Siddique.Of these,Siddique carries a kind of special charm and grace in looks and roleplay, that has endeared him to a significant section of the audience of Malayalam big screen.
Siddique came into Malayalam Cinema during the mid Nineteen Eighties,in his mid twenties, with his first film Aa Neram Alpa Dooram. However,it was Mammootty's great film New Delhi that brought Siddique to audience notice.Siddique could be called a man of all waters,taking a dip everywhere,for a new avatar.His villainy as a paid assassin in August 15, put him on a very high pedestal in negative role play.Siddique has comfortably divided his acting schedule,between the super stars Mammootty and Mohanlal,besides effectively sharing screen space with other prominent heroes like Suresh Gopi,Prithviraj Sukumaran and Dileep.
Some of his remarkable Mammootty films apart from New Delhi and August 15 were, Prajapadhi,Valiettan,Pokkiri Raja,Pramani, Carnival,Nair Sahib,Annan Thambi, Rajathi Raja, TwentyTwenty {with a star cluster that included Mammootty &Mohanlal} Maamangam, Sethurama Iyer CBI,Pranchiettan &the Saint, Puthan Panam,and the most recent Christopher.
His Mohanlal specials were,Kalippaattam, Ustad,Rasa Thandhiram,Baba Kalyani,Naattu Rajavu,Udayon,Naran,Grand Master,Chotta Mumbai,Red Chillies,Madampi,Run Baby Run,Oppam,Loham, Drishyam,Big Brother, Aaraattu,The 12th Man and the latest film 'Neru'
Siddique seems to have equally enjoyed his film journey with Suresh Gopi for films like Lelam, Ekalaivan,Crime File,Cover Story,Nariman and the recent Garudan.He has also done a few successful films with Dileep such as July 4,Kaariyasthan{as Dileep's father}Villaali Veeran and Voice of Sathyanathan Similarly, starting from Nandanam he was seen with Prithviraj,in the latter's films like Celluloid, Amar Akabar Antony, Paavaada and Theerpu. The recent popular films of Siddique were Ini Ellam Sheriyakum,Ini Uthram and Corona Papers.
Listing the films of an actor is only a ritualistic concept.It is the acting verve and quality of role play that would make any actor get deeply rooted to audience memory.Siddique is one such actor of Malayalam Cinema.Handsome and graceful in looks,suave and enchanting in delivering dialogues and natural and effortless in imprinting his body language,he has beautifully reflected his innate assets as one of the leading supporting actors of Malayalan cinema. This blog writer has been watching his portrayal of characters from the days of New Delhi and Lelam.
Be it a trust worthy friend {Lelam},or a crude police officer {as seen in July 4} or a brutal assassin {August 15} or an endearing [or] unaccepting father {Kariyasthan &Ellaam Sheriyaagum} or as a corrupt politician, Siddique made a memorable mark of his performance potential,in each character that he he was enrolled.
The most resent Corona Papers brought into focus the qualms of conscience and beautiful reflection of a disturbed mindset of a cop undergoing the trauma of doing something much against his conscience.His role play of a wronged cop unduly suffering the ordeal of an unjust suspension and his consequential evil designs, showed him on the screen almost as the protagonist of the film.
Siddique created a comedy ruckus in Dileep's Voice of Sathyanadhan as Tabela Verkey, mischievously referred to as Thavala by Dileep, that would make Siddique,often unnerved. Recently,he also appeared as a silent gold smuggler in the film Kasargold and as an impressive lawyer in Garudan and Neru.
While in Garudan he appeared as a friendly lawyer to the police officer Suresh Gopi,in 'Neru'as a defence lawyer with vile motives and virulent language,he has vigorously stamped the negative shades of a self-made successful lawyer,displaying impressive professional excellence,devoid of moral values. The way he snubs Mohanlal,and hurts the emotions of the blind&sexually abused victim, would have certainly drawn the wrath of the audience towards Sidduque.It was yet another smart role-play of this most talented actor.
Siddique is in short,an irrepaceably significant supporting actor,with the might of the mind to get into the interiors of every character that he portrays.With this single attribute,he makes himself an irresistible and indispensable actor to Malayalam cinema.
In the world of Cinema, when many actors including heroes pass into oblivion after being in the limelight for some years,here is a guy who stays firmed up to the screen as one of the most charismatic actors,doing only supporting roles. With his scintillating smile,delicately articulated clear-cut dialogue delivery;and overall graceful profile,Siddique always looks endearing for me.It is this endearing trait,that continuously makes him an invaluable character actor of Malayalam cinema.
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I cannot but wonder how closely you have been reading Siddique and his performance in various roles. I am in full agreement with your observations. As far as I understand, he is no less than either Mammootty or Mohan Lal or Suresh Gopi or any other main actor from the old or new generation for that matter. He is flexible to play any character whether it is the role of a villain or a comedian or any other character! I envy his prolific acting talent!
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have just missed his role in Drisyam. Nevertheless, you have paid a glowing tribute to the unique artist!
(It is Rajan P. Dev)
Thank you Sir.I have corrected the error in the name of Rajan.P.Dev.
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