There is much excitement over Vikram’s Cobra, his upcoming film with Ajay Gnanamuthu. The film features an ensemble cast with the likes of Srinidhi Shetty, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan, KS Ravikumar and others, and also has music by A.R. Rahman.
However, another exciting development is the addition of young Malayalam star Sarjano Khalid to the cast. The actor is rising up the ranks with his characters in films like the romantic drama June, the Mohanlal-starrer Big Brother and also Gautham Menon’s web-series Queen. Already amassing an avid fan following in his short career, the 20-year-old year is as pleased as can be.
“I actually owe the opportunity to Gouri Kishan (of 96 fame) who put me on to this project. We had acted in a short film together and are really good friends. When my role in Cobra was confirmed, I was absolutely thrilled. I’ve grown up admiring Vikram sir in films like Anniyan and Deiva Thirumagal, and now I’m actually going to share screen space with him,” he gushes.
Sarjano can’t reveal too much about the film, except that it’s a thriller and that he’s as pleased as punch about getting the opportunity to make his Tamil debut with such a massive project.
Sarjano Khalid
“One of my most important learning curves from working with a big star like Mohanlal on the sets of Big Brother was the opportunity to observe him as a person off-camera. I realised there is a reason why some actors become superstars: it’s got as much to do with who they are as people, as they are performers on-screen. Like, I vividly remember him sitting quietly and reading the script on a chair, walking up to face the camera when the director called for the shot, and then suddenly transforming into a different person. It absolutely left me in awe. I’m barely a couple of years into movies now, and working with Vikram sir is going to teach me more such lessons,” he explains.
Unlike many of his peers, Sarjano isn’t widely bullish about his prospects in films and wants to prepare adequately before he tackles each industry: “It’s not just about the language, but also the culture behind the different film industries like Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu or Bollywood. I got my first taste of it while shooting for my role in GVM’s Queen web-series. Chennai and Kollywood have a synergy, a meaning, a film culture of its own and it’s essential to understand that to make it as an actor. I hope my stint on Cobra will help me kick-start things right.”
Revealing that his next venture will be another Malayalam film in which he will play the lead, Sarjano signs off, saying, “I know I’m just 20, but I’m all set to challenge and push myself to take on anything that excites me. For now, I’m just waiting to work alongside Vikram sir and revel in the experience.”