He stands over six feet tall and has about him, at the ripe old age of 79, a bearing that is larger than life.

One could only pity how Malayalam cinema would find about the only way to cut P. Madhavan Nair ‘down to size.’

TWO SYLLABLES

Just call him ‘Madhu’ in two syllables flat, that is!

What travesty of cinematic justice for a towering personality whose conversational style is anything but!

A recent tete-a-tete with him would only prove this and more.

Quick, enjoyable repartees and well-articulated thoughts and views gave hardly anything away by way of age or associated weariness.

The call name was not his choice, but of the producer and director of his first film. Nor was this to his liking as he would confide often.

Going by his stature and personality, a more fulsome ‘Amitabh Bachchan’ would have stuck him like grease paint.

But the great actor chose to ‘let go’ with an ease as effortlessly as would come to him while portraying a litany of characters on celluloid over a period of 50 years and counting.

Lately, this magnanimity to ‘let go’ was on ample display when dealing with fan disenchantment over choice by the Centre of a ‘Padma’ award for him.

Talk about Bachchan, and there indeed hangs a tale that needs to be retold.

As a beginner, the Badshah of Bollywood shared reel space with Madhu, then a reigning hero from the South, in Saath Hindusthani .

CO-STAR BACHCHAN

This was in late 60s when a hero from the South would not fancy making it to Bollywood given regional anti-Hindi sentiments.

But Madhu made it in style, and has vivid memories about those days when he spent time with Bachchan.

“Amitabh had called me last from a location in Ooty while shooting for Malayalam movie Kandahaar after co-star Mohan Lal put him on line,” Madhu said. On Bachchan’s part, he had recalled his association with Madhu while being interviewed on a Malayalam channel only recently.

>vinson.kurian@thehindu.co.in

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