Namo Narayana left lucrative job as business consultant to pursue acting 17 years ago; stole the show from Rajinikanth in Jailer 2

Namo Narayana worked in Bahrain, Dubai, Malaysia and even gave up a US visa to return to India and work in films. Know all about him.

If you’ve watched any Nelson Dilipkumar film, even before Jailer 2, you know that he likes to fill his films with quirky characters who outdo one another when it comes to being oddballs. So, in a film practically designed to celebrate Rajinikanth’s 50-year legacy, it’s hard for a character to stand out, no matter how funny they are. But Namo Narayana managed to do that with his role. At one point in the film, you even worry if his character, Moorthi, will make it.

Namo Narayana plays the supporting role of Moorthi in Nelson's Jailer 2.

Namo Narayana as Moorthi anna

Early on in Jailer 2, Rajinikanth’s Tiger Muthuvel Pandian is sent to work for Moorthi anna (elder brother) as a form of punishment. A fruit juice seller who fashions himself to be a dreaded goon, he displays the kind of self-confidence that’s hard for anyone to match. Be it while negotiating with an actual gangster or getting convinced that he’s feared just because Muthu said so, Moorthi could easily come across as a caricature. But he doesn’t.

Everything from Narayana’s hilarious delivery of dialogue to the self-important air he carries himself with makes Moorthi so lovable. In one scene, he even calls Muthu his Mjölnir (the legendary hammer), believing that he himself is no less than Thor. There’s even a Harry Potter dialogue that’s best not repeated here. Moorthi is the personification of the saying ‘ignorance is bliss’ In a meta scene, he’s confidently making chess moves without even knowing the first thing about the players or the game.

So, it’s no wonder that since Jailer 2’s release, Moorthi has become a fan-favourite with memes featuring his dialogues and characters doing the rounds. Even Rajinikanth couldn't help but praise Narayana even before the film's release. But did you know that the man playing the character has been in the film industry for 17 years, having quit a lucrative career in software to pursue acting?

Namo Narayana’s career

On comedian Manobala’s Waste Paper YouTube channel in 2020, Narayana spoke about how he has been close friends with actor Samuthirakani since before he entered the film industry. He worked as a business consultant for software companies in Bahrain, Dubai, Malaysia and the US before making the switch. The actor even recalled obtaining a US visa valid for 10 years, which he later decided not to pursue.

Narayana’s plan was to work as an assistant director or executive producer. But life had other plans, and in 2009, he debuted on-screen as a supporting actor in his friend Samuthirakani’s directorial Naadodigal. The film also earned him a friendship with the lead star Sasikumar. Since then, he has worked with the duo in Easan (2010), Poraali (2011), Kutti Puli (2013) and Nimirndhu Nil (2014). In 2015, Narayana called Komban the breakthrough role of his career.

This year, Narayana also starred in Karuppu and Lucky the Superstar, but it was Moorthi and Jailer 2 that got him much-deserved love.