Bigg Boss Tamil 5 winner Raju
Bigg Boss Tamil 5 winner Raju

Bigg Boss Tamil 5 winner Raju: I am overwhelmed

Bigg Boss Tamil 5 winner, Raju Jeyamohan, speaks on lessons learned from his victorious stint in the reality show and future plans

Raju Jeyamohan is having the time of his life. He has won the Bigg Boss Tamil 5 title, he’s famous, and the future seems to hold much promise for this smooth-talking, funny actor.  The 30-year-old is being showered with love and good wishes, and film offers seem set to follow. Here’s the man of the moment in a candid conversation about the Bigg Boss win and what we can expect from him in the future:

How is life outside the Bigg Boss house?

I have been receiving quite a few film offers, but I haven’t committed to anything yet. It’s all in the discussion stage. I think I will take a break from doing television serials. I have other plans for television though. Let’s see.

Kamal Haasan stated that you were trying to get into the Bigg Boss show ever since its first season. Was the wait worth it?

While I was waiting to get into this show, I worked in many areas, travelled to places, met people and gained life experiences. I am not sure how I might have handled it, had the Bigg Boss offer come earlier. I think I got into Bigg Boss Tamil at the right time; I consider it a blessing. I have made some great friends too—like Imaan Annachi, Ciby and Priyanka.

You seemed taken aback when producer Isari Ganesh, during his appearance in the show, showed interest in launching your film career as a director.

I hope not to wait too long; I should not take this for granted. Varun (Raju’s Bigg Boss Tamil co-contestant and Isari Ganesh’s nephew) has invited me to meet his family. I’ll go and meet them soon. Let’s see what happens.

You seem to have multiple areas of interest—acting, scriptwriting, direction… What path do you prefer the most?

I am receiving a lot of acting offers at the moment. So, I think I’ll try out that path. I have the ambition to write, direct and act in a film, like Bhagyaraj sir. Bhagyaraj sir is a huge inspiration for me, and I like his style very much. I have also worked with director Nelson Dilipkumar for years. Whenever I make a film, I’m sure people will see their influence in my work. However, I am not sure the life experiences I have gained so far are enough for me to make a film. It needs more time.

You assumed a variety of characters during your stint in the show, including jester, villager, Tamil teacher, TV news anchor, politician, award show host, storyteller... What was your favourite among them?

I have to watch all the episodes. It needs a lot of time and patience. My housemates and I have made a plan to watch the episodes together. There are lots of YouTube videos people have made, including ‘thuglife’ videos dedicated to me. I am overwhelmed.

You seemed quite moved by the video reel the Bigg Boss editors made for you.

I appreciate the work of AV editors, having worked on such videos for audio launches and award ceremonies. I have done similar videos for stars like Rajini sir, Kamal sir and Sivakarthikeyan sir. The content gets downloaded, and we work day and night. The final cut is always made to impress the producers. To see that someone has now made such a video for me… It really moved me.

You said during an interview a few years ago that you will meet actor Vijay after you have achieved something in life. Do you feel ready to meet him now?

I did get a chance to meet Vijay sir, by a stroke of fortune. This happened about 20 days before I entered Bigg Boss; I had gone to meet Nelson anna while he was shooting Beast. Vijay sir noticed me and inquired about me. I hope to meet him again. Sanjeev anna (Raju’s Bigg Boss Tamil co-contestant) said he had spoken to Vijay sir about me. I hope our next meeting happens soon.

What’s your main takeaway from the Bigg Boss journey?

That I should always try new experiences.

You seem to be trying new things already, like dancing and singing. We saw you dancing and singing in Bigg Boss as well.

Honestly, I have never taken any formal training in dancing or singing. All I know, I learnt from watching television and movies. I don’t think I am much of a singer really. I get by, like many others do.

You were striking in how calmly you dealt with moments of great stress and tension inside the Bigg Boss house. Where did you develop this from?

I developed it from people I consider to be my role models. Nelson anna, for example, does not speak until and unless it is necessary. Being a filmmaker is an exercise in patience. Waiting for an opportunity to act in a movie is an exercise in patience.

Any advice for contestants in the upcoming Bigg Boss Ultimate show?

As far as Bigg Boss is concerned, no advice is needed. It’s best to let people be. Advice only disrupts and confuses contestants.

You spoke about mobile phone addiction during a Twitter Spaces interaction and shared that your Bigg Boss stint had helped you greatly.

People should develop the habit of reading. It’s how our imagination takes wings. I don’t mean just books. We would be able to read people too. All the mobile phone information we consume is just cold data. We need to be careful about how we use technology. I was a mobile addict, a game addict, a social media addict… The Bigg Boss experience has helped me see how interactions can be different when you are without mobile phones.

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