People now call me Srija: Nimisha 

For the Mumbai-bred Nimisha Sajayan, a day spent at Thavanakadavu, near Vaikom, prepared her for Srija, the character she played in Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum. She wandered through the byroads, took a jhankar and, in the meantime, observed the girls around her.

“I studied their body language, how they walked and behaved and found my Srija in them. But then, the credit obviously goes to director Dileesh Pothan, who explained Srija to her and what her thoughts would be. “I just imbibed his idea,” says Nimisha, who is winning rave reviews for her performance. “It is beyond all my expectations. A lot of people are calling me and they call me Srija,” says Nimisha.

Despite the congratulatory calls from industry folks, friends and family, Nimisha agrees she had her share of apprehensions, too. “I was selected after several rounds of auditions. Then, there was a look test where I was given the costume and hairstyle of Srija, following which I was selected for the  job,” says Nimisha. 

Only then was she told that Srija was a much older and matured character. “Dileesh told me I would be paired opposite Suraj Venjaramood and this is no conventional movie with a hero and heroine format, rather a portrayal of  four people and their lives,” says the actor. 

But, did she ever resent not having the stereotypical lead lady look? “No, never. In fact, I was thrilled to bits being a part of this wonderful venture. I knew I will have to perform something and I was looking forward to it,” she adds.

Nimisha had to stop doing her eyebrows and had to cancel her saloon sessions that would compromise the rustic look her character demanded. The actor says that she knew she had to do it for Srija to appear convincing.

And, sure she did. Nimisha says she has been asked many times by people whether some shots, like those in the song Kannile Poika, were shot without her knowledge, for its realistic look.

“People don’t somehow believe when I tell them it was shot with my knowledge. Dileesh would brief the scene to us first and we did what he said. I was aware of the cameras and the people around me, but it was easy because the team was so good and they made me so comfortable. Even  Suraj make me feel comfortable and that helped my work in this movie,” she adds.

Her debut movie might have only released last week, but Nimisha is busy filming Eeda directed by editor B Ajith Kumar, and produced by Rajeev  Ravi. Though she is tight-lipped about her character, she says she likes to play roles that have no resemblance to herself. “Like Srija, my aim to play characters that are very different from me. I feel there is no challenge in playing a character that is like me,” she adds.