Anikha Surendran on Oh My Darling: Aesthetically, it’s a stark contrast from usual Malayalam films | Exclusive

Even though Butta Bomma actress Anikha Surendran is just gearing up for the release of her debut Malayalam film as a heroine, she’s a familiar face for the Malayalam audience. The 18-year-old has been part of several Malayalam movies over the years including 5 Sundarikal, Bhaskar The Rascal and The Great Father. Her filmography till now also was a key reason for her choosing debutant Alfred D’Samuel’s Oh My Darling as her first film as the lead actress.

In an exclusive chat with OTTplay, Anikha, who plays a college student named Jenny in the movie, tells us, “She is a very fun-loving, bubbly and positive character, who is very different from who I am. Also, she’s different from all the roles I have done so far. It's lighter and fun. I loved the script of the movie and also how the story is told.”

Since the trailer of the movie, also starring Melvin G Babu, Fukru and Mukesh, released online, the bright visuals, K-Drama as well as K-Pop references were discussed by the audience. Ask her how much these factors played a role in her choosing the movie and Anikha says, “To be honest, I am not a huge K-Pop fan. But I thought the movie was different; it’s not something that we have seen in Malayalam – especially in terms of the aesthetics. Oh My Darling is more bright and colourful.”

Such a movie would have required over-the-top performances as well as more focus on how the scenes are conceived. Did the makers brief here on that from the outset? “When the scriptwriter (Jineesh K Joy) narrated it to me, he was clear that it wasn’t a realistic movie. It’s very cinematic. He took a lot of effort to describe how the movie would be shot. The movie also has a very important message and an emotional element that the audience would understand when they watch the movie.”

The actress explains that she had shot her portions in 20 days. “The shoot was hectic but it was also fun. It’s also my first romantic film and it was great working with people who have got your back,” she says.

Though Anikha has been part of several big releases in Malayalam, is the feeling any different with this being her debut venture as a heroine? “When I signed the film, I just thought that it’s something that appealed to me. But now that the release date is approaching, I am slowly beginning to realise that certain people do have expectations because a lot of the audience have seen me grow up on screen. So, that does concern me a bit, but I feel I will be okay because it’s an interesting role,” she concludes.