Actor Malavika Manoj, whose Habeebi opened in theatres on Friday, shared the emotional reaction her family had after watching her onscreen and revealed that her character Suchi in Joe continues to remain the closest to her heart.

In an exclusive interview with CE, Malavika reflected on how her parents responded to watching her performances and admitted that while she may not evaluate herself as an actor, she deeply connects with the emotional journey of the characters she plays.

The actor recalled that her mother watched the film with her while her father was away in Kerala and watched it later. “For parents, when they watch their child onscreen in a death scene, it can be difficult,” she said.

According to Malavika, they tried to hold back but could not entirely hide their emotions. “They didn’t want to cry, but they had tears in their eyes,” she said. Interestingly, Malavika said she rarely watches herself onscreen, thinking about whether she acted well. “I never watch a character thinking, ‘Did I perform well?’ I think about the climax, what happens to the character and what she goes through,” she said.

The actor also spoke about the kind of roles she chooses and said she does not believe every character is meant for her. “I can’t do every kind of character. I say this in every interview. I cannot do all types of roles. It’s a choice,” she said. For Malavika, choosing a role goes beyond screen time or dialogue count. “It’s not about how long I speak or how much screen time I get. When I watch it in theatres, I should like what I’m seeing as a person,” she explained.

Among her performances so far, Malavika singled out her role as Suchi in Joe as the one she remains most attached to. “Even now, if someone asks me what my favourite character is to date, I’d say Suchi,” she said. She added that character's death around the interval point affected her personally but felt it ultimately served the story. “What happens to her made me feel really sad. But because that was necessary for the story, it took the film to another space,” she said.