Radin Sri Ghazali

Mahesh

He’s famous for his role as a mute, but debutante star Mahesh Jugal Kishor shows that he’s quite a talker. He is neither deaf nor mute, but it seems like Mahesh Jugal Kishor is now being typecast by many, thanks to his character as a hearing and speech impaired boy in Talentime. “I’ve had fans who were confused on how they should greet me,” he said. “They even said ‘How can we say “hi” to him? He is deaf.’“All I could do was smile, and when I turned around and said ‘Hi’ they had the shock of their lives,” he said. “Ironically, they kept on talking as if I was deaf.” The young actor had the same experience with production houses calling him to audition.

“They assume that I might have speech difficulties. ‘You actually can talk’ would the be a common remark,” revealed the Penangite. “It is funny to see how fans and people who don’t really know me think I’m exactly like my character,” he added. Mahesh admits he is somewhat spontaneous and goofy. “I am very outgoing and I talk a lot,” he said. Throughout the interview, however, the actor constantly used the word ‘Mak’ (mother) in reference to somebody.

“That was what I called Yasmin Ahmad, my godmother,” he smiled. “I used to call her by name while shooting Talentime, but one day, she told me she had my mother’s permission to call her Mak,” he said. “When she first contacted me, I thought it was crazy giving me the lead role. There was no audition, no casting. I just got the part,” said Mahesh who had no prior experience in acting.“She told me that it was my eyes that captured her. My eyes could say a million words with a glance,” he said.

“I learned a lot from Mak. I changed tremendously after working with her. I was enlightened about religion and race. I became closer to my family. She taught me how to appreciate life and not take things for granted,” he said.

“Mak would be the first person I would talk to when I meet some hot girl. I scrolled down my phone recently to tell her about a girl I had met before I realised she is no longer with us,” he said about the famed director who died recently. “I cried for weeks and hardly left home after her death. But we are all coping with it,” he said. In his debut movie, Talentime, Mahesh, who played a mute introvert also named Mahesh, garnered a nod in the Best Actor category at the recent Festival Filem Malaysia 22, held in Sabah.

He was up against veterans like Afdlin Shauki (Papadom), Awal Ashaari (Syurga Cinta), Que Haidar (Maut) and Rashidi Ishak (Setem). “To be nominated was a victory. I could have not asked for more. I was put in the Anugerah Perdana (main category) instead of one for a newcomer. That was recognition on its own,” said Mahesh. “It was a lucky break for me and I thank Mak for guiding me all the way,” he said, adding that he was delighted when Yasmin was announced Best Director for her masterpiece finale. Sad to say, he received a snub from an actress with the cast and production of the movie.

“She said that I could never afford to buy her her kind of bags with paychecks from a movie like Talentime. I just smiled and ignored the remarks. I did not find it necessary to retaliate,” he said. “I am the kind the guy who does not blow up easily. There would be the first and second strike, but I would not tolerate the third,” he said. Mahesh is still contemplating his future in the industry. “I am at a crossroads. For the time being I will concentrate on my studies,” said Mahesh who is pursuing a diploma in IT at Asia Pacific Institute of Technology.

Profil Berkaitan

 Talentime    Papadom    Syurga Cinta    Maut    Setem    Yasmin Ahmad    Mahesh    Afdlin Shauki    Awal Ashaari    Que Haidar    Rashidi Ishak