“Saiju joined the collective we had formed in the name of Mani chettan. That was the first time I met Saiju,” says Ayyappan, who is a driver at the Cherthala depot of Kerala Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). On February 2018, while I was working at my house, someone in the neighbourhood told me that a man was cleaning and decorating the nameboard of the road which had Kalabhavan Mani’s name on it. “There is a lane in our locality which we named ‘Kalabhavan Mani road’. How Saiju came to join the NGO also has to do with his love for Kalabhavan Mani, Ayyappan, the founder of the NGO, tells TNM. The actor was known as the “poor man’s superstar” in Kerala and taking from his generosity, Saiju joined an NGO called named ‘Kalabhavan Mani Sevana Samithi’ in Thuravoor, his hometown in Cherthala. Saiju’s admiration towards Kalabhavan Mani is not just limited to modelling his auto around the actor. But whenever I called, he spoke very warmly.” “Mani chetan was so kind hearted that he even gave me his number seeing my enthusiasm,” Saiju recalls. Mani was there for a stage performance and Saiju says he even got to talk to him. That was the first as well as last time that I saw him,” Saiju shares. “Mani chettan came to my home town in Cherthala for temple festival in 2012. Saiju still cherishes the moment when he met Kalabhavan Mani seven years ago. These are the highlights of my day,” Saiju beams.
Every day I have these happy moments where I get the opportunity to talk about Mani chettan. Then I tell them about Mani chettan’s life, his struggles and his qualities.
“Almost everyone who boards my auto asks me why I have placed so many pictures of Mani even inside the auto. Photo Kalabhavan Mani and his family affixed inside the auto The vehicle is now easily recognised by a many people in Kochi as ‘Mani’s auto’ – a matter of pride for Saiju. “After that I used my auto as a tool to remember Mani chettan and remind others of him.”Īpart from photos, Saiju’s auto also plays songs sung by the late actor. I was shocked - he was someone who I always looked up to he inspired me on difficult days,” recalls Saiju, brooding over his cup of black tea. “I was in the middle of my workday when I came to know Mani chettan had passed away.
0 kommentar(er)
