Method ActingMammootty a Method Actor, an Analysis………………………

This documentary show cases the concepts of Method Acting with examples from roles played by South Indian Movie star Mammootty.

Prepared, Analyzed and Compiled by Araf Karsh Hamid

What’s Acting

Vocal Vocal Projection Dialects & Accents Voice Modulation Clarity of Speech

Physical

Body Language

Emotional facility

Physical expressivity

Ability to interpret drama

A well developed imagination

Origin of Method Acting

Konstantin Stanislavski system is a progression of techniques used to train actors to draw believable emotions to their performances.

In America Method Acting came through iterations of Konstantin Stanislavski system by Lee Strasberg.

Lee Strasberg developed and popularized this (Stanislavski’s) system in America along with Stella Adler and others in 1940s and 50s.

Method acting is a phrase that loosely refers to a family of techniques used by actors to create in themselves the thoughts and emotions of their characters, so as to develop lifelike performances.

Konstantin Stanislavski

A Russian Actor / Director (1863 – 1938)

His historic meeting with Vladimir Nemirovich Danchenko resulted in Moscow Art Theatre.

His System is a systematic approach to acting. Areas of study include concentration, voice, physical skills, emotion memory, observation and dramatic analysis.

System focused on the development of artistic truth onstage by teaching actors to “Experience the part” during performance.

Key Concepts: Preparation, Motivation, Truth

P: Thorough Analysis of Script and the role

M: Magic (What) If – Analyzing the situation and thinking how to react.

M: Objective or Through Line – The Past, Present and Future of the Character

T: Immersed in the scene, Experience what the character feels and not pretending.

T: Illusion of the first time – You should feel that it’s the first time you are enacting or experiencing the scene.

Lee Strasberg

An American Actor, Director and Acting Teacher

In 1951 became the director of Actors Studio, New York City, The most prestigious Acting school

Father of Method Acting in America

Two key techniques Improvisation Affective Memory

These techniques helps the actor to express the appropriate emotions demanded of the character.

Lee Strasberg’s Students

Marlon Brando

RobertDi Niro

AlPacino

DustinHoffman

JackNicholson

PaulNewman

MarilynMonroe

JaneFonda

Some great movies by the students of Lee Strasberg

MarlonBrando Al Pacino

DustinHoffman

Jack Nicholson

Daniel Day-Lewis

Only Actor who won 3 Best Actor (Leading Role) Academy (Oscar) Award

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Day-Lewis

2012 2007 1989

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Great Method Actors - Current Era

Popular Method Actors from India

* If I missed anyone’s name please add that in the comments.

Mammootty Kamal Hassan Vikram Aamir Khan Surya

Mammootty, A Method Actor

An Actor from Southern (Kerala) part of India

3 time National Award Winner for Best Actor

6 Kerala State Awards and 11 Filmfare & Critics Awards

Let us go through the various roles he played and see the variations in

Vocal Projection, Dialect, Accent, Voice Modulation Body Language Physical Expressivity And all other aspects of Method Acting

Are we comparing?

No, we are not comparing Mammootty with great actors of Hollywood.

We are analyzing whether he can stand along with the great actors of the world or did he went beyond them!

Watch the next section (movie clippings), look for voice modulation, dialects, accents, body language, and judge yourself.

How do you Analyze?

Section 1 Focuses on Vocal variations and body language.

Section 2 Handling commercial and art films at ease.

Section 3 Similar emotional tragedy: 4 characters 4 different reactions.

Section 4 1980s – The beginning

Section 5 Other Language Movies (Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada &

English)

Section 6 Mind blowing performances – National Award Winners.

Movies Selected

2000s – 20 1990s – 10 1980s – 16 Others - 08

Let us start the Journey…

Mammootty, The Method Actor

Section 1

Checkout Vocal Projection Voice Modulation Accent & Dialects Body Language Emotional facility Physical expressivity Ability to interpret drama

These are all multi dimensional characters. Along with the Body Language, the most striking aspects in these movies are the voice modulation, projection, accent and dialects.

Section 1 - Analysis

The real life character Dr. Ambedkar (Baroda, India) a Columbia University (US) graduate.

Pazhassi Raja (1774-1805), Prince of a small Southern City (Kerala, India) revolted against British.

Now compare the English dialects between these two characters. The former is polished while the latter has learned English just so that he can communicate with British directly.

Other aspects to watch out for:

• Voice Modulation• Body Language • Emotional facility• Physical expressivity

All these three movie characters are pure fiction.

• A Gangster• Mentally Challenged• Religious Business man

However the most striking aspects in these three movies are

• Vocal Projection• Voice Modulation• Body Language• Accent & Dialects• Emotional facility• Physical expressivity

Section 1 Analysis

For any aspiring actors the following 5roles will be worth watching again andagain.

1. A Gypsy (Karuthapakshikal)2. A Fisherman (Amaram)3. A Movie Actor

(Kathaparayumbol)4. A Hunter (Mrigaya)5. An Illiterate Rich Person

(Rajamanickam)

Checkout the subtle performance as a Movie Actor in the guest role in Kathaparayumbol. That climax made the movie awesome.

Watch out for the following

• Voice Modulation• Accent and dialects• Body Language

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Checkout Vocal Projection, Voice Modulation Accent & Dialects Body Language Emotional facility Physical expressivity Ability to interpret drama

An Actor who could transition from an Art film to Commercial film at ease. From subtle to power packed performances.

Even after having power packed performances in Palerimanickyam, Loud Speaker and Pazhassi Raja (released in 2009) still Lost National Award to Amitabh Bachchan for Paa.

Section 2 Analysis

Three roles are as different as chalk and cheese

1. A Cruel Feudal Lord

2. A Simple Writer

3. Misunderstood Folk story Villain

What you see here is the contrast of different characters and their body language, mannerisms, personality etc.

Method Actors makes the characters memorable. They make the characters ‘Alive’ on the screen.

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Role

1. A Innocent Villager (Loud Speaker)

2. High Ranking Govt Officer (The King)

3. Rich Business Man4. A Mariner (Kutty Srank)5. School Teacher with a

passion for Acting (Best Actor)

The ease at which Mammoottyswitches between Art and commercial films.

The role as a mariner (in Kutty Srank) is much more challenging as he plays three different characters with with different behavior patterns for the same role.

Section 2 - Analysis

Characters

1. A Villager (Kaazhcha)2. Good Feudal Lord (Prajapathi)3. An Economist (Ore Kadal)4. A Police Officer (Roudram)

Checkout the Body Language, Mannerisms, and dialogue delivery (voice modulation).

The collapse of the Economist due to guilt is extra ordinary. At the same time it will be interesting to compare the body language of the Assertive Feudal Lord and the Innocent Villager (Kaazhcha).

This section ends with a 10 minutes dialogue from Roudram movie a commercial pot boiler. However its interesting to note change in emotions from sadness to anger, to threat. A good example for voice modulation.

Section 3

Checkout Vocal Projection Voice Modulation Accent & Dialects Body Language Emotional facility Physical expressivity Ability to interpret drama

Movie Role

Padheyam A Writer

Amaram Fisherman

Bhoothakannadi Schizophrenic

Palunku A Villager

Similar tragedy (loosing daughter) but 4 different ways of reaction based on character’s background and environment.

Section 3 - Analysis

These four movies shows a classic example of the Stanislavski system.

Thorough Analysis of the Script and the Role Immersed in the scene, Experience what the

character feels and not pretending. Illusion of the first time – You should feel

that it’s the first time you are enacting or experiencing the scene.

Movie Role

Padheyam A Writer

Amaram Fisherman

Bhoothakannadi Schizophrenic

Palunku A Villager

Similar tragedy (loosing daughter) but 4 different ways of reaction based on character’s background and environment.

Section 4 1980s – The

Beginning

Checkout Vocal Projection, Voice Modulation Accent & Dialects Body Language Emotional facility Physical expressivity Ability to interpret drama

Popular Sequels from 80s

1. Sethuramaiyer CBI (5 movies)2. Inspector Balram (3 movies)3. Anti Hero - Tharadas (2 movies)4. Inspector Perumal (2 movies)

Sequels from 1990s5. Joseph Alex, IAS Collector (2 movies)

Section 4 - Analysis

Mammootty made sure that each of these character is portrayed in a completely different ways.

Thorough Analysis of the Script and the Role Immersed in the scene, Experience what the

character feels and not pretending. Illusion of the first time – You should feel that it’s

the first time you are enacting or experiencing the scene.

Movie Sequels Role

Yavanika A Police Officer

Avanazhi 2 A Police Officer – Inspector Balram

August 1 1 A Police Officer – Inspector Perumal

Jagratha 4 A Police Officer – Sethuramaiyer (CBI)

All these movies are crime thrillers and the protagonist is the investigating police officer. Even though the role is a Police officer, Mammootty made sure that each character is distinctive in nature. This resulted in the character becoming memorable and created more movies of the same character.

Section 4 - Analysis

Mammootty made sure that each of these character is portrayed in a completely different ways.

Thorough Analysis of the Script and the Role Immersed in the scene, Experience what the

character feels and not pretending. Illusion of the first time – You should feel that

it’s the first time you are enacting or experiencing the scene.

Movie Role

New Delhi Journalist / Media Baron

Utharam Journalist

Koodevide Army Officer

Yathra Common man, wrongly convicted, on his way back home

Section 4 - Analysis

Mammootty made sure that each of these character is portrayed in a completely different ways.

Thorough Analysis of the Script and the Role Immersed in the scene, Experience what the

character feels and not pretending. Illusion of the first time – You should feel that

it’s the first time you are enacting or experiencing the scene.

Movie Sequel Role

1921 Freedom Fighter

Athirathram

1 Gangster - Tharadas

Sangam Carefree Rich Businessman

Gangster character was such a hit a sequel got released after couple of decades. Last in this list was a trend setter (for a Heroic care free rich business man) resulted in lot actors donning similar roles for the next two decades in Malayalam movies.

Section 5

Checkout Vocal Projection Voice Modulation Accent & Dialects Body Language Emotional facility Physical expressivity Ability to interpret drama

Performances in other Languages

Language # Total

Tamil 15

Hindi 05

Telugu 03

Kannada 01

English 01

TOTAL 25

Section 6

Checkout Vocal Projection Voice Modulation Accent & Dialects Body Language Emotional facility Physical expressivity Ability to interpret drama

Mind blowing performances in National Award Winners

Movie Role

Dr. Ambedkar Dr. Ambedkar

Vidheyan Cruel Feudal Lord

Ponthan Mada

Slave

Mathilukal Writer

Oru Vadakkan

Warrior

Mohanlal

Malayalam movie industry is blessed with two great actors in Mammootty and Mohanlal.

Mohanlal has won 2 Best Actor National Awards (Bharatham & Vanaprastham) and a special Jury Award for Kireedom.

In Mohanlal’s on words, Comparing him with Mammootty is not right as they are two different species when it comes to Acting. Both have two different approaches to acting.

However, he emphasize the point that the Voice modulation is not part of his acting, which Mammootty is a master and it shows in the variety of characters Mammootty has played over a period of 3 decades.

As final touch let us look at the last set of movie clips to understand voice modulation, accent and dialects in Malayalam language itself.

Awards

03 National Awards05 State Awards11 Filmfare Awards11 Critics AwardsTwice Lost National Awards

Mammootty Age: 61Movies: 375+Languages: 6

References

• Konstantin Stanislavsky : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislavsky • System: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislavski%27s_system

• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khcCvAe8wtg • YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpEGXrDSXo8&feature=

fvwp • Lee Strasberg : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Strasberg • Method Acting : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_acting

• Mammootty Web Site : http://mammootty.com/

• Marlon Brando : Redefined Acting• Jack Nicholson :

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Nicholson • What I have learned: Jack Nicholson

• Daniel Day Lewis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Day-Lewis

• Academy (Oscar) Awards for Best Actor• Best Method Actors : http://www.imdb.com/list/Ns20nd1Thqw/

Watch the Video – Mammootty, The Method Actor

Version YouTube URL

1 http://youtu.be/YeOGSQ8rx1c

2 http://youtu.be/lu185UPEuY8

3 http://youtu.be/qYTA0QsiYp0