Siju Wilson’s first character on the screen does not have a name. He was cast as the president of a fans’ club in Malarvadi Arts Club in 2010. Twelve years later, he is making his name as an actor, playing the swashbuckling warrior, scholar and social reformer, Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker, in the period film Pathonpatham Noottandu.
All it took was one call from maverick film director Vinayan to catapault Siju from the sidelines to centrestage. Cast as the lead in Pathonpatham Noottandu, Siju has given the role his best shot. As the film continues to do well in theatres, Siju is all gratitude to the director for the lead role.
For six months, the actor trained in Kalaripayattu, weight training, Parkour and horse riding to do justice to the role of the 18th century warrior and social reformer who fought against unjust laws and caste-based discrimination. The film’s team had decided that they would announce the film only after Siju achieved the physique and look, Vinayan had conceptualised.
