Eko star Biana Momin on how she managed to lip sync Malayalam lines for the Sandeep Pradeep-starrer| Exclusive

After watching Malayalam's latest thriller, Eko, many had obviously searched the actress who plays Mlaathi Chettathi in the movie. Biana Momin, a teacher and respected member of her community from Meghalaya, made her acting debut in this movie. Biana discussed how she was able to lip-sync Malayalam dialogues for her part in the film in an interview with OTTplay.

'Felt petrified at first...'

The actress said that when she first learnt that she had been cast in Eko, she was terrified. "My initial concern was how I would communicate or speak Malayalam on the set, but everyone was really welcoming when I got there. They were so patient with me that I never felt unfamiliar on the set, which gave me greater self-assurance to perform," she remarked. 

The hardest aspect, according to Biana, was lip syncing in Malayalam because the director and crew insisted on perfection. "At first, I was instructed to move about the set where Malayalam was being spoken. I sat by and listened them talk but I didn't understand a word. I made an effort to understand its pauses and tones," she continued. 

The artiste continued by saying that actress Anjali Sathyanath's guidance was crucial since she mentored Biana during the entire process. "There were times when I was unable to understand the dialogue—when to pause or modify. As a result, we transcribed the entire text into English. It was useful as I could memorise the dialogues easily," she remarked. Biana also conveyed her happiness at being able to produce the intended result and how it was warmly received by the audience.

Also Read: Eko star Sandeep Pradeep: 'Became submissive watching other actors' performances in this film...'| Exclusive

Dinjith Ayyathan on casting Biana Momin

In a recent interview with OTTplay, Eko's director claimed that Ullozhukku's director Christo Tomy had first proposed Biana Momin's name following her performance in an unreleased short film. After a month of preparation and an audition, we ultimately chose her," he remarked. The director noted that other candidates were also picked for this role apart from Biana Momin, but they struggled with communication because they didn't speak Hindi or English effectively.

FAQs

Q. When will Eko release?

A. Eko released in theatres on November 21, along with Prithviraj Sukumaran's Vilaayath Budha.

Q. Who are the actors in Eko?

A. Young Malayalam actor Sandeep Pradeep leads Eko, along with senior actors Vineeth, Narain, Binu Pappu, and Ashokan in other key roles.

Q. Who plays Mlaathi Chettathi in Eko?

A. Mlaathi Chettathi is played by Biana Momin, a teacher from Meghalaya.