After Moothon, Malayalam actor Nivin Pauly gets ready to wow us again in his next film, Thuramukham.
"When I first heard the story, I immediately wanted to do the film because I knew how this will come out," he tells Subhash K Jha.
Your stunning performance in Moothon seemed a hard act to follow up, but you seem to have managed it in Thuramukham. What was your motivation for accepting this project?
I always look at the content when it comes to selecting a movie.
The way it is narrated, and of course, how it will be made.
When it came to Thuramukham, I didn't need to think twice as it's from the legendary Rajeev Ravi.
Working with him itself gives you motivation.
He is such a multi-talented film-maker.
When I first heard the story, I immediately wanted to do the film because I knew how this will come out. Trust me, it will be a visual treat for movie lovers.
Looking back at Moothon, I still feel it is a flawless performance. Is there anything that you would like to change in that performance?
Moothon was done after carefully studying, preparing and researching the character.
In fact, the credit must go to its director Geetu Mohandas for the way she penned and developed the film.
I am still receiving rave reviews on it.
I don't think anything needs to change in terms of how I portrayed Akbar. It's one of my personal favourites.
Thuramukham is a period drama dealing with a slice of history. Did you undertake any research for this?
The writer Gopan Chidambaran knew the period best and he narrated the nuances of my character. He also told me stories from that time.
I researched the characters from that chapter of Indian history before we started the film.
How important is preparation for an actor? And how important is it for you?
What I have learnt over time is that when it comes to doing any movie, your experiences helps a lot.
But you have to remember that every movie is a new experience.
If you do your homework well, especially on your character, before the shoot, that helps.
I always do that.
It's important for any actor.
How far behind in your schedule has the pandemic placed you? On the other hand, are you enjoying this time with your wife and children?
The final schedule of Padavettu is pending.
Other than that, we have completed the shoot of three other projects: Kanakam Kaamini Kalaham, Mahaveeryar and Thuramukham.
Yes, this has been a long break and it has given me some good time to spend with the family.
Tell us about your projects.
We have just announced Tharam, which is a rom-com, and Gangster of Mundanmala, an action flick.
Do you agree that the way forward for cinema is the digital platform?
The beauty of cinema is to watch a movie in a theatre to enjoy the real feel of it. As actors, that's what we dream of.
But having said that, with the current conditions, things are getting difficult for producers and for some, digital is the way forward.
Honestly, I still believe we will go back to theatres to watch movies when the COVID-19 situation improves.
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
