The Hindu Business Line : We discover a lot from experiences

Manoj K. Jayan is a well-known film actor from Kerala. Son of the famous Carnatic musician Jayan (of the Jayan-Vijayan duo), he has acted in several films, including Perumthachan (Malayalam, 1990), Sargam (Malayalam, 1992), Dhool (Tamil, 2003) and Anandabhadram (Malayalam, 2005). His upcoming projects include Amal Neerad's Big B (Malayalam), Shafi's Mayavi (Malayalam) and Lenin Rajendran's Rathri Mazha, among others.

Two values that I believe in:

Be straightforward and frank.

I always measure my words carefully.

Two things that I detest:

I hate dealing with cheats and hypocrites.

I dislike people who indulge in malicious gossip.

Entertainment versus education:

Education is essential, but it is not gained from schools and colleges alone. We discover a lot from experiences. We learn to behave; we understand the ways of people and the world. Education imparts culture; entertainment often showcases it.

My dream project:

Working with Mani Ratnam is every actor's dream and it came true with just the fourth film of my career — Thalapathi (1991). What more could I ask for? However, I am looking forward to working in Hariharan's Pazhassi Raja with Mammootty.

As told to Raj Menon