‘I am grateful to Rajeev Ravi for his trust in me’

Only very few in the industry have managed to get the kind of visibility Shane Nigam enjoys. His rise has been steady, and calculated too. The actor, who has had a great year career wise, is on a steady rise to fame. As his next film Eeda, directed by B Ajithkumar hits theatres next month, Shane gets chatty about his career. 

Tell us about Eeda

Eeda is an intense love story set in Kannur. I play Anand, an insurance agent working in Mysore but hailing from Kannur who falls in love with Nimisha's character Aishwarya. The film narrates how they fall in love and the rough patches their relationship endures. On a deeper level, it also touches upon certain other topics, but that can't be revealed at the moment. And, working with the crew was a great experience for me, as I knew them from the start of my career. It was a great blessing. 

Eeda is a Rajeev Ravi Production. He has always had a space for you in his films.  

Yes of course, Rajeev Ravi has played a major role in my career. He gave me good roles in his films and even suggested my name to many directors. I am grateful for the trust he's placed in me.

Be it C/o of Saira Banu or Parava, your roles were not stereotypical ones. Are you inclined towards choosing unconventional characters?

As a budding actor, I never had much of a choice before Kismat. I had to work on whatever I had. But, I was fortunate enough to act in some well-made films with excellent content.  Now, I have options and get to choose. So, I select stories that entertain, but portray daily life. I do have a penchant for unconventional stories. I like innovations and the films I have done are different from the general trend. They portray the life of common people with common problems, but they're depicted in a way that appeals to the general audience. I believe in doing good films that appeal to the senses of the general audience.

That said, I don't think it is easy for the public to take in new experiments in cinema all at once. It takes time to adapt towards change, so bringing in radical drifts in film making with a single film isn't pragmatic. The transition should be gradual.
 
You have quite a few projects lined up in 2018. 

 In 2018, I will be doing four films. Valiya Perunnal is a very promising project I have taken up.  Then, there is Painkili, a romantic comedy directed by Devan. Kumbalangi Nights is a light-hearted flick produced by Dileesh Pothan. There is also an untitled film by a debutant director.

You are also a good dancer. So, when are we seeing you dance in films? 

Very soon. Dance plays a significant part in Valiya Perunnal. The film will have me dancing in quite a number of scenes. Then, Painkili also will exploit the dancer in me.