'Everyone looked down on N N Pillai and his family'

'Everyone looked down on N N Pillai and his family'_ Vijayaraghavan recalls theatre struggles.

Versatile actor Vijayaraghavan has opened up about his childhood and his family's association with theatre. The actor is the son of legendary theatre personality N N Pillai. He grew up surrounded by plays, rehearsals and performances.

However, his family's involvement in theatre also came with social stigma.In a recent interview with Reporter Films, Vijayaraghavan recalled the difficult experiences his family faced. He said theatre was once viewed as a shameful profession by sections of society. He also spoke about the special relationship he shared with his father.

Vijayaraghavan recalls how society viewed theatre

Vijayaraghavan said his entire family was involved in theatre during his childhood.

His father, mother, siblings and his father's sister were all part of the theatre world. He recalled how some relatives distanced themselves from the family.“Back then, society viewed acting in theatre as something very shameful. It was a time when my father, mother, children, and my father's sister, basically our entire family, were involved in theatre. Many of our relatives would not even come to our house.They would mock my father by calling him a theatre person. Many people would say, ‘Wasn't it enough that he was going around doing theatre? Why did he have to drag his wife and children into it as well?’ They used to refer to us as N N Pillai and his family.

Everyone looked down on us. I grew up seeing all of that,” Vijayaraghavan said.

'Everyone looked down on us'

The actor said he witnessed these attitudes while growing up. Being part of a theatre family shaped his early understanding of the profession. It also exposed him to the criticism faced by his father.N N Pillai was a prominent figure in Malayalam theatre. His influence played an important role in Vijayaraghavan's entry into acting. The actor eventually followed in his father's footsteps and began his career through theatre.

For Vijayaraghavan, those early experiences became part of his understanding of both performance and society.

Vijayaraghavan recalls his bond with N N Pillai

Vijayaraghavan also opened up about his relationship with his father. He said N N Pillai could be strict with him. However, there was also a strong sense of friendship between them.“Since childhood, my father has treated me like a friend. He has beaten me and scolded me too. It is not that he didn't. I have immense respect for my father.

But we also shared a friendship.My father was even the first person to pour me a drink. I am not mentioning this to talk about alcohol, but to talk about the relationship we shared. There was never any distance between us,” Vijayaraghavan said.

'There was never any distance between us'

Vijayaraghavan said his admiration for his father existed alongside their close personal bond. He remembered N N Pillai not only as a strict parent but also as someone he could relate to as a friend.Vijayaraghavan is currently seen in the Malayalam film 'Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar'. The film features Parvathy Thiruvothu, Mathew Thomas, Unnimaya Prasad and Sidharth Bharathan in lead roles.The cast also includes Vijayaraghavan, Vinay Forrt and Tamil actor R. Parthiban in prominent supporting roles.