The smile is nearly the same. Minon John’s and the late Abhimanyu’s.
In a movie called Njan Petta Makan, Minon will play Abhimanyu, who was murdered only months ago, inside the hostel premises of Maharajas College, Kochi. A BSc student and member of the Students Federation of India, Abhimanyu was allegedly killed by members of the Campus Front of India.
“I had been following the case too even before the film offer came. I have friends in Maharajas and I know Simon Britto (politician and writer who too had been victim of a political clash back in the 1980s, when his lower body became paralysed),” says Minon.
It is his smile that first caught Minon’s attention, the young actor says. Minon had won the National Award for Best Child Artist in the first film he acted in - 101 Chodyangal. Now, six years and many films later, this is his first as an adult hero. “I am very excited to play Abhimanyu. When the director Saji Palamel told me about it, I was very happy to be part of the film.”
Minon however does not follow the same politics as Abhimanyu. “I have my own politics and I follow it in my life, in everything I do. Other than that I couldn’t relate to a particular political party. I believe in the politics of people than party politics,” he says.
Saji Palamel, who has earlier made a film called Six Feet, is also writing the script of Njan Petta Makan (The son I gave birth to).
The film will begin shooting half of November, Minon says. The actor will meanwhile work on the films Pretham 2 by Ranjith Sankar and Silencer by Priyanandan. Also an artist, Minon is working on his next solo painting exhibition which will be his 70th in ten years.