Very hard to play lead roles: Ganja Karuppu

This comedian sure doesn’t believe in false modesty, and at the same time seems to be clearly aware of his limitations as an actor as well.
“Comedy has always been my forte, ever since Bala ‘sir’ (director of Pithamagan) offered me a role in Pithamagan back in 2003, and I have etched my name in the industry as a comedian over the last nine years,” comedian Ganja Karuppu says.
In the city to shoot for Ruthran’s Vetri Selvan recently, the comedian says that while he sticks to the director’s vision while working on his comic lines, he also improvises in parts. “The director’s vision is the most important in any film, but I try to improvise my lines within the parameters of the director’s vision,” he points out.
Having also played the lead role in a couple of films, he confesses that it pushed him out of his comfort zone.
“It was very difficult for me to last the entire film as a hero, and it is when I played the lead in Arai En 305-il Kadavul alongside Santhanam in 2008 that I realized how difficult it really is,” he explains.He also stresses that confidence is the key to becoming a successful comedian.
“I have been a judge on the popular comedy show Asathapovathu Yaaru, and while there is a lot of comic talent around, many of them are unable to pull off comedy on stage, as they lack in confidence. You must be able to carry your own even if you are acting opposite stalwarts like MGR or Rajnikanth,” he advises.