‘Kunjiramayanam’ gave me the confidence to try comedy, says Deepak Parambol

When Mridul Nair’s Malayalam web series Instagraamam dropped on the streaming platform Neestream on February 22, it was the end of a long wait for Deepak Parambol, who plays one of the main characters.

It was yet another chance to prove that he could handle comedy. “I could pull off such a character in Kunjiramayanam and that gave me the confidence to take up this role,” says Deepak. He plays Kaliyedathu Sukesh, a 32-year-old jobless bachelor. Cricket is his weakness and that’s how his surname got shortened to ‘Kali’ (play/game). All that he wants is to get married and settle down.

“Mridul told me the story when we were working in BTech (2018). Even though he could have done a film project after that, Mridul wanted to make this web series. The format hadn’t become a trend then unlike now when there is a barrage of web series on social media and digital platforms,” Deepak explains.

Instagraamam is set in Andippara, a fictitious village somewhere in Kerala. “The highlight is a group of characters with weird nicknames and mannerisms,” adds Deepak. The title stands for how good the people of the village are with ‘instant’ and humorous retorts.

The narrative starts with the police investigating the death of five people, presumably after reading a book, Instagraamam, which is about Andippara. The story then shifts to this village where viewers are introduced to Suku. He is tied to a tree and a crowd has gathered around him. Apparently, he was caught red-handed while he sneaked in to meet a girl at her house at midnight.

“How Suku ended up in such a situation will unfold in the upcoming episodes. The sequences are funny, but not vulgar. Mridul has put his heart and soul into it and has shot it like a feature film. The first two episodes have gone down well with the viewers. It was interesting to see some Thug Life videos based on my character!” laughs Deepak.

Giving Suku company are his three friends — Society Dutt (Ganapathy), an artist, Puncture Suni (Shani Shaki), an auto driver, and Padmarajan Andippara (Subhish Sudhi), a wannabe scenarist. They are his nemesis, believe Suku’s parents. A new-gen grandmother, a sister, a gullible brother-in-law and mischievous nephew complete his family.

The series has an ensemble cast with names such as Arjun Ashokan, Balu Varghese, Alencier Ley Lopez, Ramesh Pisharody, Dinesh Prabhakar, Gayathri Ashok and Ambika Rao. Sunny Wayne, Saniya Iyappan and Srinda are doing cameos. Shot in and around Payyannur in Kannur, which is Deepak’s hometown, the series also features theatre artistes from the district.

After his début in Malarvadi Arts Club, Deepak impressed viewers with his performances in Thattathin Marayathu, Thira, Kunjiramayanam and Captain. The ruthless husband in Ottamurivelicham, which won multiple Kerala state film awards, was the best among the lot.

The 32-year-old admits that he at times gets frustrated over not having got a breakthrough role yet. “But, for some reason, I believe that the day is not too far. Also, I know I don’t promote myself, which just doesn’t happen. However, I am going to look into it.”

Among his upcoming releases are Shane Nigam’s Ullasam and Vijay Sethupathi-Nithya Menen’s 19 (1) (a). “I have a good role in Fahadh Faasil’s Malayankunju although I can’t reveal more about it,” he adds. He will also be seen in Jayasurya-starrer John Luther.

Instagraamam has 14 episodes and new episodes will be uploaded once a week on Neestream.