Actors from Malayalam cinema on working in ‘Jailer 2’

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

Rajinikanth's Jailer 2 is having a terrific run at the box office | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The box office storm that Jailer 2 unleashed last week has not yet died down. A group of actors from the Malayalam film industry is celebrating the roaring success of the Rajinikanth-starrer. Apart from Mohanlal, who continued his cameo [Mathew] from the first part, and Suraj Venjaramoodu as the menacing villain, Dileep, pitted against Rajinikanth’s Tiger Muthuvel Pandian, the audience also took note of these actors in spite of essaying brief roles.

Kottayam Nazeer plays Amir, a sidekick to Suraj’s character, who later double-crosses him. Nazeer recalls that after he watched Jailer 1 with his family back in 2023, he had jokingly told them, ‘Who knows? You might watch me with Rajini sir in Jailer 2 !’ “I was bragging, and never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would share the screen with someone whom every actor wants to meet. Irrespective of my screen time, I am happy that my character has a name and depth. It felt good when I saw the teaser and my character poster,” shares Nazeer, who has completed over three decades in Malayalam cinema as an actor, even as he entertained audiences as one of Malayalam’s leading mimicry artistes. “I have imitated Rajini sir, countless times, and when I finally met him in person, I didn’t know if it was all happening for real or not,” says Nazeer, who also dubbed for his character.

But, Nazeer says that, interestingly no one in the team knew that he was a mimicry artiste. “I got the role because of my performances in Thalavan and Vaazha .”

The big moment was when he was introduced to Rajinikanth by Suraj. An accomplished painter as well, Nazeer even managed to show his art book, Art of my Heart , to the actor. “He was surprised and I could feel his respect and appreciation for the artiste in me.”

Kottayam Nazeer with Rajinikanth on the location of Jailer 2 | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Nazeer, who had done a small role in the Tamil movie, Campus in 2004, mentions that like all actors he also thought whether the role would get edited out or not. “After all, the film has so many actors and cameos. I was lucky to get that much screen time, including a crucial scene with SJ Suryah sir.”

Nazeer, who established his credentials as a “character actor” with Mammootty’s Rorschach ( 2022), has since done notable roles in Thalavan, Vaazha, Anveshippin Kandethum, Alappuzha Gymkhana , and the latest, Avarachan and Sons .

Hakkim Shajahan as Sharva in Jailer 2 | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

How was it to be in the same frame with Rajinikanth, Hrithik Roshan, Mithun Chakraborty, Vidya Balan, SJ Suryah and Ramya Krishnan? Hakkim Shahjahan has been asked this question several times.