Assistant director-turned-actor Raphael Jose gets candid about his Bollywood debut ‘Maidaan’

Raphael describes SA Rahim as a visionary who led India to the greatest football glory.

The premiere shows of the film drew rave reviews from critics for splendid performances, emotions, and edge-of-the-seat experience in the climax portion.

In an exclusive interview with South First, Raphael Jose talks about his love for the sport, cinema, and his experiences working for Maidaan.

Entry into films

Assistant director-turned-actor Raphael Jose. (Instagram)

A native of Thodupuzha in Kerala’s Ernakulam district, Raphael entered the filmdom in 2013.

“I used to be a footballer, I used to play for a football club based in Delhi. I also played for the Delhi State Team and got admission at Delhi University through sports quota. However, after a knee injury in the second year, I stopped playing partaking in competitive matches. Things didn’t work as I planned,” he recalled.

Later, Raphael started his career with advertisements in Delhi. He did several ads for brands like Hero Moto Corp and Philips.

He also did four short films, three music videos, and a few independent films.

In 2013, Raphael Jose discovered his passion for films and acting.

In 2018, while working as an assistant director, his creative producer randomly suggested that he auditioned for an upcoming Bollywood film based on football.

She revealed that the movie, headlined by Ajay Devgn, is directed by Amit Sharma and produced by Boney Kapoor. However, Raphael could not audition for some reason.

“But in November 2018, the casting director’s name came up in the Metoo movement and he was removed from the project. As the team conducted fresh auditions, I gave my best shot. I signed the film in May 2019. That’s how I got my acting debut — Maidaan,” he recollected.

Interestingly, Rapheal Jose didn’t have a TV in his house in childhood. His family members used to watch films on a computer.

“I was unconsciously exposed to classics like Fiddler on the Roof (1971), Mind Your Language (TV series, 1977), Laurel and Hardy’s works, Schindler’s List (1993), and The Shawshank Redemption (1994), which I watched multiple times. I guess that’s how the acting bug bit me,” the actor guffaws.

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About his role in Maidaan

Raphael Jose with his co-actors in ‘Maidaan’. (Instagram)

Raphael Jose feels proud to make his acting debut with a Bollywood film that boasts a great story, brilliant theme, and incredible performances.

“I play the role of D Ethiraj in Maidaan. He was the top scorer in the Santosh Trophy in 1961-62. He led the Services team to victory and that’s how he was selected to the Indian team of the Asian Games (1962),” he explained.

Raphael added, “This is the only tournament Ethiraj played for the country. He was a diligent man who played for the services all his life. He was an Army personnel.”

Raphael revealed that he interacted with Novi Kapadia, a football historian, which helped him prepare for his role.

“I found out more about Ethiraj through Novi Kapadia. He explained about his (Ethiraj) family and how he dedicated his entire life to playing for the Army,” he said.

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On Ajay Devgn

Team ‘Maidaan’ at the trailer launch. (Instagram)

Raphael Jose says he had a great experience working with Ajay Devgn.

“He (Ajay Devgn) is approachable. His performances were gritty. At the same time, he was incredibly sharp and was also receptive,” the actor pointed out.

He said Ajay lets his co-actors into the scene and shares his energy with them.

The shooting of Maidaan started in 2019 and was supposed to be wrapped up in 2020. But the COVID-19 pandemic and the cyclone in Mumbai played spoilsport with their plans. The team completed the shoot in 2022.

The actors in the film, including Raphael, were imparted rigorous training in football.

“We were trained in the sport every day. In the evenings, we had gym sessions. We had to follow a strict diet to fit into our roles. Four months before the shoot commenced in 2019, actors selected for the characters (football players) stopped their sugar intake. Maintaining the same diet for three long years had been difficult. But it was worth it,” Raphael Jose pointed out.

“My Bollywood debut is physically challenging and engaging. All credit goes to director Amit Sharma and Ajay Devgn for their extensive support,” he quipped.

Future projects

Raphael Jose says football remains his first love and his favourite Malayalam movie is Sudani From Nigeria (2018), based on the sport.

He is also into writing and is a good storyteller.

“I performed at some storytelling events. I am writing a mini web series now,” he revealed.

The actor also has plans to direct a documentary and is looking forward to doing more Malayalam movies in future.

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