Meet the reel life Kanchanamala

'My aim as an actor is to make the audience believe that the person they are seeing on screen is not me but the character.'

Parvathy discusses her real-life character role in Ennu Ninte Moideen.

R S Vimal's Ennu Ninte Moideen -- based on the real life love story of B P Moideen and Kanchanamala -- has become a cult film in Malayalam.

Their love story has become immortal.

Parvathy, who plays Kanchanamala, has given a performance of her lifetime, better than what she did in Bangalore Days or Mariyan. The film also stars Prithviraj.

Parvathy tells Rediff.com contributor Paresh C Palicha how she played the part.

You have this uncanny knack of becoming the character with every new release of yours. Viewers do not recognise you as Parvathy the actress but the character you play. How do you do that?

My aim as an actor is to make the audience believe that the person they are seeing on screen is not me but the character.

Also, I have to unlink their memory of the characters I have portrayed before.

The only reason I believe they can differentiate each character I play without 'Parvathy' taking over is because of the work that is put into it. From researching and building up the character with the directors, writers, costume designers and make up team, it’s a team effort to make each character as real as possible. I am happy that it’s working and I will work hard to keep it up.

How did you end up getting the role of Kanchanamala?

One of the producers saw one of my interviews post Mariyaan and suggested my name.

Ramesh Narayanji (music composer) contacted me and Vimal (R S Vimal, director) came and narrated the story. That’s how I landed the role.

How did you prepare for the role, since it's based on a real person? How different is it from preparing for fictional characters? Did you meet her as a part of your preparation?

I did meet her as a part of my preparation except that when I got there, I chose not to ask her anything. I chose to observe and listen to what she had to say. I think that was way better than bombarding her with the same questions that Vimal had already asked or the kind that would poke old and bitter wounds.

She showed me the letters they wrote to each other in their secret language.

The meeting really helped me understand a certain aura she exuded.

Interestingly, I realised through this movie that I explore every character fictitious or real the exact same way. The only difference is that hard facts and research materials are present here, so we do not have to analyse a fictional life. 

But the way I approach real and fictitious characters are the same.

What was your equation with your costar Prithviraj? This is the first time you appear as a pair, though you both were there in Lijo Jose Pellissery’s City of God...

We shared a really healthy equation. It was interesting to see what he brought to the table and how he engages with his co-actors as they rehearse.

It was a fair collaboration and it really brought forth the chemistry between the characters.

In your decade long career, you have conquered the hearts of the audience in South India. Any plans to venture into Hindi films?

I would go wherever there is a scope of collaborating with a passionate team who have a good story to tell!

After Kanchanamala, who will you become?

I will become Tessa D'Souza in Charlie, which is directed by Martin Prakkat.