Mandeep Roy: An unconventional comedian

Mandeep Roy, who passed away at 73 earlier this week, left behind a memorable legacy despite not being known for any one particular brand of comedy like other veterans such as Balakrishna, Narasimharaju and Dwarakish. With over 500 Kannada films spanning over four decades, Maau Ulpe, who later became Mandeep Roy, stood out for his uniqueness in handling comedy.

Roy was considered a cultural bridge that connected the Marathi theatre and Kannada tinsel world. His ancestors hailed from Dakshina Kannada district. They later relocated to Bombay (now Mumbai). His parents stayed at Talmakiwadi, which housed a handful of Saraswat Brahmin families. He was admitted to a boarding school near Thane.

“We became friends in school,” recalls veteran actor Anant Nag, whose family too stayed at Talmakiwadi. “He was also close to my brother Shankar (Nag),” the actor recalls.

Influenced by the Nag brothers, Roy was drawn to theatre. He surged to stardom with his powerful performance in the Marathi play ‘Pandhari’.

“His performance as a waiter in a hotel who becomes a victim of exploitation was extremely realistic,” Anant Nag tells Showtime. Roy followed the footsteps of the Nag brothers and moved to Bengaluru to pursue a career in films. His entry to Kannada cinema was accidental.

Shankar Nag, while filming 'Minchina Ota' (1980), had chosen K S Shantharam for the role of a police head constable. When he didn't turn up on the sets even after five days, Shankar Nag offered the role to Mandeep. The offer shocked Roy as he did not know Kannada at all. Guided by Arundhati Nag — actor-theatre director and Shankar Nag's wife — he delivered a convincing performance. Legendary filmmaker and theatre doyen M S Sathyu was impressed by Roy's portrayal of a corrupt policeman.

Shankar Nag roped in Roy for his ambitious TV series 'Malgudi Days' (1986). Anant Nag recalls, "Maanu’s role in the ‘Sweet Vendor’ episode of ‘Malgudi Days’ earned him accolades. I shared the screen with him in the episode.” Roy dubbed for the Hindi version of the series.

Offers began knocking on his doors and he went on to act with legends such as Dr Rajkumar, Dr Vishnuvardhan, and Ambarish. His fascination for trendy names prompted him to rename himself as Mandeep Roy, reveals Anant Nag.

“Roy made his presence felt in Kannada cinema after the era dominated by Dwarakish. He was unique because he never depended on dialogues and mannerisms to evoke laughter. He could provide comic relief merely by his expressions,” observes film critic Sreedhara Murthy.

Shankar Nag’s unexpected death in a road accident was a turning point not just in Roy’s career, but also in Sandalwood’s history. "His demise ended the chance of seeing Roy in unique comic roles. The Kannada audiences weren't able to warm up to his style of acting. Shankar Nag knew how to exploit Roy’s skills," Sreedhara reasons.

Upset by the lack of offers that could help him exhibit his true potential, Roy, who never forayed into other industries, accepted whatever came his way to establish a career in films.

“Roy never used double entendre for comedy. He could understand how the characters felt and through that, he generated the laughs,” Roy’s friend Vijay Kumar tells Showtime. “How can anyone forget his performance in 'Pushpaka Vimana' (1987)?” he asks.

“He exuded humour in serious sequences," points out actor-director Jaggesh. "He brought in a sense of dignity to comedy,” adds actor-director-politician about Roy, whose other prominent roles were in 'Geetha' (1981), 'Yelu Suthina Kote' (1987), 'Nishkarsha' (1993), and 'Amrithadhare' (2005). His last film was 'Made In Bengaluru', which released December last year.