Jayaram on 'Kantara Chapter 1' success: Mammootty’s message leaves him emotional; calls it a proud moment for Malayalees

Rishab Shetty’s 'Kantara: Chapter 1' continues to dominate the box office, crossing the Rs 100-crore mark within just two days of release.Malayalam actor Jayaram, who plays the pivotal role of King Rajashekara, shared his heartfelt reaction to the film's success in a conversation with the media.Talking to Asianet News, Jayaram revealed that Mammootty personally sent him a congratulatory message after watching the film. “I’m extremely happy. Just a minute ago, I checked my phone and saw a message from Mammukka (Mammootty) congratulating me. He said I was excellent in Kantara. This is a benchmark film, just like KGF. It’s a matter of great pride and happiness for a Malayalee to be part of a 1000-crore movie,” Jayaram said.Jayaram also reflected on how Malayalee audiences sometimes comment about him taking up minor roles in other languages. He clarified that while certain roles may appear short in the final cut, they are significant in depth and performance.“Out of love for me, Malayalees often say I go to other industries and do small roles. But in big films, when the final output comes out, some roles may appear shorter, though they are substantial characters. In Kantara, that wasn’t the case. It’s a film made with immense dedication and hard work — three years of effort that deserves to be studied,” he said.Speaking about how he came onboard, Jayaram shared that Rishab Shetty personally invited him to play a character with great emotional range. “It was Rishab Shetty who called me for the film. I told him I had already watched the first Kantara. He said he was a big fan of mine,” Jayaram said.He added, “When I reached Karnataka, I realized how significant the character I was playing actually was. Rishab explained that the character goes through a remarkable journey — from childhood to his transformation by the end of the film. That transformation was the reason he cast me.”Meanwhile, Malayalam actor Jayasurya praised Rishab Shetty for the success of 'Kantara Chapter 1'. Taking to social media, Jayasurya shared a snap with Rishab Shetty and wrote, "Congrats Brother."