Exclusive! Malavika Mohanan: My current goal is to collaborate with good artists and filmmakers

Malavika Mohanan, who is gearing up for the release of her third Tamil movie, Maaran, is elated about having pulled off a meaty role in the movie which will start streaming on Disney+ Hotstar from March 11. Karthick Naren has directed the thriller which has Dhanush playing the titular role.

In a chat with OTTplay, she opens up about her character in the film, working with Dhanush, being part of big ticket projects back-to-back, foraying into Bollywood and Tollywood, the plethora of opportunities for female actors today, how the pandemic affected work-life balance, and more...

Tell us about your character in Maaran. How different is it from the ones you had essayed in Petta and Master?

I play a photo journalist in Maaran, and I'm happy to say that my screen time is much more compared to the two roles I played in Tamil before. My character has been sketched in an even more elaborate manner. Petta had me essaying a village girl, while Master had me in the role of a professor, a girl-next-door. 

I'm Thara, a tomboyish girl in Maaran; she is a feminist and a good-natured person. What makes her unique is her right attitude. She knows what she wants in life. Female actors often get to play the regular pretty, naive characters. It was a huge relief to play something that is different from those in Maaran.

Your first two films in Tamil had Rajinikanth and Vijay headlining the projects. How was it to work with another big star like Dhanush for your third movie?

I always feel the best learning experience comes from your co-actors. I remember how Vijay sir was thoroughly prepared to shoot for a scene which required him to deliver a four-page dialogue. A big star like him can afford multiple takes on set, yet he wanted to give the best in the first take itself. These are some of the things you get to learn from experienced and really big stars.  

Similarly, I was keen on learning while working with Dhanush sir. I wanted to know how he approaches his character. He is so talented that he easily transforms into his character. He suggested that it would be good if I come up with subtle expressions as he felt I have expressive eyes. As we all know, he is quite multi-skilled. He is aware of the nuances associated with camera position, lighting and other technical details. I had a masterclass on acting while working with him.

A film with an acclaimed filmmaker like Majid Majidi and then a few movies with big stars. How happy are you when you look at your career graph?

I'm really content with the way my career is shaping up. What is more interesting is the fact that language barriers do not exist now. Tamil actors are doing Malayalam films, Telugu actors are doing Hindi films...it's an exciting phase for artists. My goal currently is to collaborate with good artists and filmmakers. 

People are ready to watch anything if it's gripping. I will be making my Bollywood and Tollywood debut soon. The former is produced by Farhan Akhtar; I'm paired opposite Siddhant Chaturvedi in it. It's fascinating to meet new people and work in different industries.

Maaran is your first OTT release. How do you see the difference between theatrical release and digital release?

With the advent of OTT platforms, the way people consume content has changed drastically. If not for the pandemic, it would have taken at least five years for the kind of changes we have witnessed in the last two years to happen. We can't expect mediocre content to sell anymore. Be it actors, writers or directors, all of them have to up their game.  

Now that you have been doing continuous big films, would you be interested in taking up small budget films?

Yes, definitely. I would love to work with Vetri Maaran sir or do a movie like Karnan. Working in big ticket flicks puts you in the spotlight, though the heroine characters in such projects may not have much to do. I think it is better to maintain a balance between both kinds of films. I'm open to female-centric projects as well, or something that involves loads of action.

After Majid Majidi's movie, were you approached with such character-driven offers?

I was offered a few similar characters, but I felt saying yes to those offers would make me typecast. It is fun to keep yourself entertained by choosing characters which have contrasting looks and behaviour.  

Karthick Naren, the director of Maaran, is someone who, at the age of 22, turned heads with his debut movie. How was it working with him?

The advantage of working with a young filmmaker, at least in my case, is that I find it extremely easy to discuss things. I don't mind coming up with silly doubts. I had this comfort factor while working with Lokesh for Master as well. I think the equation you share with senior filmmakers is different. I was Lokesh

What is one thing you admire in the big Tamil stars you have worked with? Rajinikanth, Vijay and Dhanush...

They all have got unique style and mannerisms of their own. They are aware of what works well for them. It was good to learn professional skills from them. Being good to everyone and making those around you comfortable are a few other things I noticed in them.  

What is something that you have learnt during the pandemic phase?

I felt bad that we have been losing our prime time. I wouldn't have bothered if I was in my 60s or 70s. We lost a lot of our precious time during the pandemic. After spending a lot of time without working, I remember getting exhausted on the set of Maaran on the first day of shooting. It's because I almost forgot how it was to be on a set. It took me some time to get normal.

Do you think this is the ideal time for actresses with regard to landing interesting roles?

Earlier, actresses who used to be part of commercial flicks were approached only for such characters. Today, there are actors who are part of such films and take up characters which are likely to garner critical acclaim as well. You can explore and experiment a lot in acting because of the diverse avenues available today.