'I don't want to be just a showpiece'

 ... says Mahima Nambiar, who is happy about being cast in back-to-back thrillers
'I don't want to be just a showpiece'

After four releases last year including a Malayalam film, Mahima Nambiar is gearing up for her first release of the year -- the Arulnithi-starrer Iravukku Aayiram Kangal. "The film, as the title suggests, is about a series of mysterious events that occur over the course of one night. The story mainly occurs at night," says Mahima, who plays a nurse in the film. 

"This crime thriller is different from my previous films. My character has a lot of depth," adds Mahima, who heaps praises on the film's director, debutant Mu Maran (erstwhile assistant of Raghava Lawrence and KV Anand). "He called me after the release of a video song from Kuttram 23 and said he was interested in roping me in. He told me to listen to the script and then decide if I wanted to be a part of it. I was floored by the story," says Mahima, adding, "The suspense factor and my characterisation got me hooked. Usually in a story, within a few minutes, we can predict where it's heading, but IAK is completely unique. It has been a great experience, and I knew right from the day Maran narrated the story to me that he was going to bring out the best from me."

From Mahima's filmography, it's apparent that she has a preference for the thriller genre. "I prefer it to a rom-com. I'm not a fan of romantic stories as I like films where women play bold roles." This doesn't mean she wants only female-centric films though. "I don't mind doing a 10-minute role as long as the character has something substantial to add to the story. I don't want to be a showpiece who just dances with the hero and disappears," says Mahima, who appeared in an extended but pivotal cameo in last year's Puriyatha Puthir. "Though I wasn't the heroine in that film, I loved my character Mridula. At the end of the day, the depth of the character matters." 

Mahima says she learned many tricks of the trade from director Muthaiah, with whom she collaborated in last year's Kodiveeran. "Being a village subject, Kodiveeran was completely different from what I had done till then. The way Muthaiah sir portrays his female characters in a rural backdrop is fascinating. Working with him was the equivalent of going to an acting school." The film, which starred Sasikumar, featured Mahima in an important role, but the Saattai actor had a hard time getting into the skin of her character. "Muthaiah sir told me to behave like a woman, not as a kid, because I'm a messy person who talks and jumps around a lot (laughs). He kept pointing out that that's not how women in villages behave."

She also has Ayngaran in the pipeline, which will feature her alongside GV Prakash. And no surprises, it's once again a thriller. "But it's completely different from Iravukku Aayiram Kangal. In IAK, I play a mature role which is far removed from my bubbly and naughty character in Ayngaran. We've almost finished the shooting, except for a song sequence. GV Prakash plays a scientist. Wait till you see him in the film."  

Related Stories

No stories found.
Cinema Express
www.cinemaexpress.com