Actor Shane Nigam interview: On his Tamil debut

 When Malayalam star Shane Nigam sits for a chat with us, his exhaustion from having sat through dozens of interviews is evident. He coughs through the chat and keeps his answers short, and yet, doesn’t resist a request for a live rendition of ‘Rafta Rafta Woh Meri’, Mehdi Hasan’s popular Ghazal which Shane has recreated in his upcoming film Haal(He previously composed and sang ‘Raa Thaarame’ from 2022’s Bhoothakaalam, and he says he has a few indie tracks ready for release).

The icing on the cake is that this exhaustive promotional drive is not for a Malayalam film; Shane is taking his first bow in Tamil with Madraskaaran, set for release later this week. The film, co-starring Kalaiyarasan and Niharika Konidela, is undoubtedly the next logical step for the actor who has enjoyed quite some attention from Tamil audiences, especially on social media.

Actor Shane Nigam | Photo Credit: Thamodharan B/The Hindu

Tamil fans of Malayalam cinema first took notice of Shane in his small but effective cameo towards the end of Dulquer Salmaan’s Kammattipaadam. Then came films like C/O Saira Banuand Parava, but it was 2019’s Kumbalangi Nights that truly broke Shane’s fame out of Kerala, a fandom that would then reach its peak withRDX: Robert Dony Xavier thanks to the viral hit ‘Neela Nilave.’ “I have always felt this love from Tamil Nadu, right from Parava days. But RDX was special; only after offers for the main lead came my way, and Madraskaaran too happened because of that,” he confesses.

 Shane Nigam on ‘Bermuda’, releasing on July 29, and ‘Evideyo’, a short film he directed

Conviction to do Madraskaaran as his Tamil debut, he adds, came from the script that director Vaali Mohan Das had written. “I would have done this script no matter which language it was to be made in because there’s a haunting element to it. Even after listening to the script, I took some time to confirm it, and somehow the story kept coming back to my mind. I then knew that I had to do it.”

Shane Nigam in a still from ‘Madraskaaran’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Excerpts:

Looking back, your turn in ‘Bhoothakaalam’ is one of your finest yet. It was a complicated role, of a broken man, unpredictable and vulnerable, who furthers breaks down psychologically due to the supernatural element. What did ‘Bhoothakaalam’ do to you as an actor?