'Cinema happened because I missed my college bus one day'

Since his debut nine years ago in Vineeth Sreenivasan’s Malarvadi Arts Club, Deepak Parambol has been seen in roles both small and big, positive and negative. He played a character with negative shades in Vineeth’s third film Thira and Rahul Riji Nair’s state award-winning Ottamuri Velicham.

After delivering an impressive performance recently in Madhav Ramadasan’s Ilayaraja, Deepak will be playing a romantic hero for the first time in Ormayil Oru Shishiram. Helmed by Vivek Aryan, the film’s script has been adapted by CG Sivaprasad and Appu Sreenivas Nair from a story by Vishnu Raj NR.

Ninety percent of Ormayil Oru Shishiram was shot in Thalassery and surrounding areas with a small portion in Ernakulam. “The film is a trip down memory lane,” says Deepak. “I play a debutant filmmaker who reminisces about his first love, which happened during his school days. Though it sounds familiar, the subject’s treatment is fresh. It’s also about that character’s school days and friendships. I’m sure everyone will find some relatable characters in it. I did. It’s set around the same time I was in high school. The film will cover all the memorable moments we all experienced back then. It’s definitely an entertaining, nostalgic, and humour-laden film. There’s no room for unnecessary sentiments or melodrama. I would say it has a bit of a Thattathin Marayathu vibe.”

Deepak had to lose 10 kgs to get the look of a high school student. “In the film, I look similar to how I did back in high school. My friends are now making comparison photographs,” he laughs. When asked if he had a first love, Deepak says, “Yes, but it happened much later, after my graduation. But it didn’t work out, and I say that’s a good thing because you get to learn a lot from meeting different people. I don’t imagine life would be that interesting if our first romance becomes successful.”

An actor who doesn’t mind taking on roles irrespective of their screentime, Deepak believes that doing character roles would benefit him in the long run. “I want to do all types of roles. As I’m not someone who went to acting school or worked with many senior directors, working with contemporary filmmakers with varying styles will help shape the actor in me. I find character roles more satisfying and instructive than lead roles. For e.g, I agreed to do a small scene in The Great Father because I never played a cop before. Plus, I got to act with Mammootty, which was a big factor. Who doesn’t want to act with Mohanlal and Mammootty? Also, it’s a matter of survival,” explains Deepak.

It was actor-director Vineeth Sreenivasan who facilitated Deepak’s accidental entry into cinema, through his directorial debut, Malarvadi Arts Club. “It all happened because I missed my college bus one day. A friend of mine brought my attention to an ad in the newspaper seeking actors for a project bankrolled by Dileep. I responded to that ad, and the rest is history. That Paulo Coelho quote about the universe working to help you achieve something you yearn for is what immediately comes to mind,” reflects Deepak, who later went on to work with Vineeth in Thattathin Marayathu and Thira.

Ormayil Oru Shishiram is backed by Maqtro Pictures, the same production house behind Sunday Holiday and B.Tech. Deepak is currently filming Manoharam, which has Vineeth Sreenivasan playing the lead. He will be also seen in B.Tech-fame Mridul Nair’s upcoming web series, Instagraamam.