Tamil film luminary Jiiva is no stranger to diverse and challenging roles. Acclaimed for his versatility, Jiiva has captivated audiences playing a ‘boy-next-door’ and even donned the cape of a superhero. Venturing beyond Tamil cinema, he brought to life the vivacious spirit of former cricket star Krishnamachari Srikkanth in the Hindi flick ’83. Imagine his surprise when the opportunity knocked for him to portray a political heavyweight – none other than Andhra Pradesh’s current Chief Minister, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, in the Telugu biopic ‘Yatra 2.’
In a candid conversation with The Hindu, Jiiva opened up about the February 8 theatre release. “I am always game to take up films that require me to be an actor rather than a star,” he remarked, his dedication to the craft clear in his calm demeanor.
The inception of this unforeseen role was serendipitous – a simple photo shoot with new cameras and lights that Jiiva shared on Instagram. As it turns out, those snapshots caught the eye of producer Gnanavel Raja of Studio Green, who had connections with ‘Yatra 2’ director Mahi V Raghav. Raghav saw in Jiiva the potential to become Y S Jagan on the silver screen.
Even with an impressive track record, Jiiva had his reservations, primarily his unfamiliarity with Telugu and the daunting task of portraying a contemporary political figure. Seeking counsel, he turned to Mammootty, the esteemed actor who immortalized Jagan’s father, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, in the original ‘Yatra.’ Mammootty’s wisdom was straightforward, reminding Jiiva of the very essence of acting – to convincingly transform into various personas without being confined to one’s on-screen avatars.
Eager to imbue authenticity into his portrayal, Jiiva immersed himself into ‘Yatra’ and came to admire Raghav’s adept storytelling. With a gap in his schedule due to pandemic-induced filming interruptions for ’83,’ the actor found ‘Yatra 2’ to be the perfect project to channel his energies into.
Jiiva spared no effort, gleaning nuances from Jagan’s public addresses and brushing up on Telugu with a tutor. Every morning was dedicated to rehearsals, with afternoons spent recording and scrutinizing his dialogue delivery for precision. Despite this hard work, he humbly acknowledged that the intricacies of the Kadapa accent eluded him, leading to a professional voice artist tackling the final dubbing.
The challenge wasn’t merely linguistic; it was psychological too. Without the advantage of a personal meeting with Jagan, Jiiva relied heavily on video footage to understand the essence of the man he was set to embody. Mahi’s cinematic vision focused on the complex interplay between a father and son’s legacy and how that resonates with the wider public. Jiiva drew parallels from acclaimed films like ‘The Godfather 2’ and ‘Thevar Magan,’ which further inspired his performance.
Aside from the silver screen, Jiiva has laid down fresh tracks in the music industry with the launch of Deaf Frogs, a music venture with an eye for nurturing untapped talent across South India. This initiative is more than just a label; it is set to become a hub for creative synergy, bringing together the singular skills of budding musicians, cinematographers, and editors through music and promotional video projects. Positioned as a vibrant alternative to conventional approaches, Deaf Frogs aspires to bridge connections between gifted indie artists and wider audiences.
Jiiva’s multifaceted career continues to evolve, both through his family’s production house Super Good Films and his own forays into music production and talent development. With ‘Yatra 2’ anticipated for release and Deaf Frogs attracting indie curiosity, Jiiva’s journey through the realms of cinema and music is bound to be one of innovation and continued storytelling excellence.
