Jayaram on why he turned down Arvind Swamy's role in Rajinikanth's 'Thalapathi': ‘Was told to keep my dates free for 3 months'

Actress Jayaram has shed light on an interesting aspect of one of the best movies of Tamil cinema, 'Thalapathi.' Recently, in an interview, Jayaram revealed that he had been shortlisted to play an important role in this Mani Ratnam directorial. The role eventually went to Arvind Swamy, but Jayaram revealed that he had the opportunity first. His comments have surprised fans, especially since 'Thalapathi' went on to become one of the most iconic films in Indian cinema.Speaking about the missed opportunity in a chat with Ranjini Haridas, Jayaram explained that the offer came through Mammootty. “Mammookka called me regarding the role. I later met Mani Ratnam sir, and I was told that I would have to keep my dates free for nearly three months,” he recalled.The actor said the role involved several combination scenes with both Mammootty and Rajinikanth. “At that time, I had many commitments in Malayalam cinema. I was not sure when exactly my portions would be shot, so unfortunately, I could not take up the project,” he said. Looking back, Jayaram admitted that it was one of the films he had to let go despite its huge potential.During the early 1990s, Jayaram was one of the busiest actors in Malayalam cinema, appearing in multiple films every year. He explained that actors often worked under strict agreements with producers and could not easily adjust shooting schedules. Due to all this, it was not possible for him to commit himself fully to 'Thalapathi' for several months. Though he lost out on the opportunity to become apart of the blockbuster, he went on to have his own successful career working alongside Mammootty in many Malayalam movies.In addition to this, Jayaram surprisingly pointed out that although there were opportunities in the past, he never got the chance to act alongside Rajnikanth. This includes the offer he had gotten for playing in another movie of Rajnikanth after some time, but which he had refused. In the case of ‘Thalapathi,’ this is what the actor recalls. His candid comments have now gone viral among cinema fans, with many imagining how different the classic film might have looked if Jayaram had played the role that eventually introduced Arvind Swamy to Tamil audiences.