The star of Malayalam cinema, Tovino Thomas is making headlines for his latest release, Naradan. Tovino who has a strong foothold in Malayalam cinema is busy promoting his latest release in Mumbai. In a candid interview with The Free Press Journal, the actor spoke about Malayalam cinema, his latest film, Naradan, on being an Indian superhero and more. Excerpts:
The success of Minnal Murali has surely stamped you as a solid actor, how does that sound?
Since the time I have joined the industry in 2012, I have been living my dream and whatever happened post that is a bonus. In a decade long career, I have seen my journey upwards but with Minnal Murali, the growth in my career has been phenomenal. It feels great that not only me, others are also getting benefited. In fact, because of Minnal Murali, I could do a film like Naradan. Earlier, Malayalam movies were made only for the Malayali diaspora but now they are made for the rest of the world. The language barrier is blurring. It is the best time to be in the industry. Minnal Murali is my most watched film.
You have joined the league of our Indian superheroes with Minnal Murali, your thoughts?
I have been a fan of Superman since my childhood. I wanted to fly and save people but I realised that it is not possible. When I became an actor, I started getting unconditional love. Parents of young kids used to come and tell me that Minnal Murali is played in their houses multiple times.
Do you believe that OTT has pushed Malayalam films during the pandemic?
That’s how it looks like. Earlier, movie buffs from the Malayali community used to watch our films but with the massive invasion of OTT, things have changed. The pandemic has helped in changing the culture of watching films of different languages. Greatest Malayalam films aren’t there online. I myself watch world cinema in several languages. It is certainly one of the best industries in India.
Do you choose your scripts consciously?
There’s a percentage of risk in every film. I listen to the script and decide to do it or not. Once the film is made, then we come to know about it. While committing to a project, I believe and surrender to the filmmaker. I obviously see the set-up before giving a nod to any film. I don’t have to worry about anything else.
Naradan is your third association after Maayanadhi and Virus with Aashiq Abu...
When he (Aashiq Abu) narrated me the idea of Naradan, I was initially confused. News presenters have different lingo, mannerisms, tonality and body language. It need not be subtle and underplayed. I had to be loud and use television language, and not the colloquial one. Aashiq Abu convinced me that he will work on my diction with ease. I used to read Malayalam books loudly as we didn’t want it to be a blind imitation of a news presenter.
