Exclusive! Nadiya Moidu: Working with new-age talents also gives you a chance to evolve as a person

“Don’t call it a comeback,” says Nadiya Moidu, as we meet her in Kochi during the promotions ahead of the release of her Malayalam film Bheeshma Parvam, which will see her sharing screen space with Mammootty after 11 years.

The Nokketha Doorathu Kannum Nattu actress, who was last seen in Malayalam in Mohanlal’s Neeraali in 2018, is as always at her candid best. “Exciting characters for a woman of my age is hard to come and so within that, whatever makes the most impact, is the kind of roles I would like to do. Also, honestly, I have lately become busy in Telugu and I am fortunate I am getting those roles at this stage in my career,” she says.

In a quick chat, Nadiya talks about her experience working with a relatively young cast and crew in the film, her upcoming anthology with Anjali Menon and more.

How was it working with Amal Neerad on Bheeshma Parvam?

He’s a sweetheart, I call him a huge teddy bear on the set. There’s something very adorable about the way Amal runs the set . It’s a new school of filmmaking, the way he works. I know he has a style and when you see his film, it’s made on a large canvas and there’s a lot of aesthetics that come into the film. I am really looking forward to that. And of course, Mammukka’s got this great look in the film . I have been part of his movies before but this film also has a nice ensemble cast.

Yes, it features some of the best young talents as part of its cast as well as its crew. What were your takeaways while working in the film?

There is a lot more subtlety today in people’s work, especially in their expressions, the takes and the lighting – all of that has changed across the board. Initially, we used to have only certain directors who played around with that cinematography or direction, but now you find far more people doing that kind of work.

In terms of acting too, the kind of naturality that they bring to the acting is brilliant. For example, you might be shooting a party sequence and the camera would be rolling, but you won’t even know that the scene is being filmed. So, they capture those organic moments, which is something that used to happen rarely earlier. That’s something that I have been discovering.

You have talked about being selective about your roles and not choosing every role that comes your way. How much did that help or hinder your career at this stage?

I don’t think it has hampered my career at all. I have always said that cinema is my passion but my home is my priority. So, if I am going to invest my time in to something that will make me stay away from home, I want it to be worthwhile. That has been my basic funda. I am someone who doesn’t like to be overexposed, I don’t like to be seen in every day in someone’s living room. I get bored of seeing myself like that and so the audience would feel the same too. That’s one of the reasons I stayed away from TV.

I believe it has helped me get the kind of characters I did because there’s a certain bit of exclusivity that comes along with it. That’s also a risk I am taking because not many roles come your away at this phase of your life. But, so what? Call me selfish, but I want to do the right characters.

In the past few years with OTT, there’s a lot of directors who have come with great roles for women of all ages across languages. Has that had an impact?

Yes, definitely. I just worked in Madhumita’s segment Mouname Paarvayaai in the Amazon Prime Video anthology called Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa. I worked with Joju George in it. It was fabulous because firstly the film didn’t have any dialogues and then Madhumita comes from a new school of cinema. The way they instruct you or handle scenes is different. I am so glad, not just about being part of a new age, but also because of how much you have to evolve as a person and an artiste. I am glad I am able to do that. I think that I am pretty open-minded to somebody else’s way of thinking and I am not rigid in my ways. I am also able to connect to all the 20-year-olds thanks my kids who are of the same age. I understand their music, jokes and I can slip in right way, which I think is great.

You are part of a friend’s circle that consists of actresses of your age, and while sharing your current experience, does it also inspire them to make a comeback or be more active in movies.

We all are pigeon-holed to an extent and that’s not going to change for a while. Unless we have new writers. I am also working with Anjali Menon for an anthology and it’s also a fabulous; she’s got a great script and it’s all women-based. I am really looking forward to some exciting work and I think the situation will definitely change as long as I can focus on remaining healthy and be able to work.

Also read: Exclusive! Anna Ben: My characters in Helen and Naaradhan are all real women whom we don’t see in cinema often