CHENENAI, MAY 30 — A classic film track from the 1990s served as the unexpected connection behind a meeting between South Indian actor Jayaram and Sakshi Dhoni at a recent sports gathering.
The incident came to light during a promotional discussion for the upcoming crime comedy “Parimala & Co,” where Jayaram described the encounter as one of the most memorable public interactions of his recent career. The actor stated that during an IPL fixture in Chennai, Sakshi Dhoni approached his seating area to offer a traditional respectful greeting, an action that initially puzzled the performer.
“I was shocked and wondered if she had mistaken me for someone else,” Jayaram stated, recalling the initial moments of the introduction. He noted that after he expressed his surprise, she assured him that his filmography was well known to her family due to an old nanny’s lullaby routine.
The family connection traces back to a viral internet clip from 2017 showing a young Ziva Dhoni singing “Ambalappuzha Unnikannanodu,” a track from the Priyadarshan-directed movie “Adwaytham.” Jayaram noted that the nanny had used the song continuously during Ziva’s early childhood, creating a lasting familiarity with his screen work.
“When I told her it’s my song, she said, ‘I know it’s your song,'” Jayaram stated, confirming that the cricket captain’s wife verified her fan status based on the musical connection.
The actor’s career spans multiple decades since his professional debut in the 1988 film “Aparan,” alongside a recognized background as a trained Chenda percussionist performing at cultural festivals. Following his recent roles in the Telugu feature “Mirai” and the Kannada production “Kantara: Chapter 1,” his next appearance in “Parimala & Co” places him alongside veteran co-stars Urvashi and Yogi Babu under Lyca Productions.
