In the high-intensity spy thriller that is Patriot, a brief scene in which industry giants Revathi and Mammootty share the screen has city-based actor-director Samragni Rajan making a blink-and-miss appearance as government employee Mrinalini Saha. “The first day of shoot was also the day I shot the scene with Revathi ma’am and Mammootty sir. They have a small conversation about me. Even though it is the character they are talking about, it was really special,” says Rajan, recalling her favourite moment on set.
The actor, who has previously appeared in the Malayalam web series M.E.N.A.K.A and the Tamil film Aaryan got involved with Patriot through an unexpected call from an old film school friend, editor Mithun KR, who let her know there was a role to fill. “I sent in an introduction tape, and a lot of time passed. They were filming in Sri Lanka at the time, so I reassured myself saying they’ll respond when they do. Later, it fell into place quickly – it was wonderfully lucky,”
Though the role is a small one and her focus was on movement rather than dialogue, Rajan notes that Mahesh Narayanan’s direction eased things. She says, “His guidance was focused on what I had to ‘do’, and that made the entire process so easy. My first shot was of me walking, and that set the pace and gave me a good sense of the character. It was mostly about me reacting and responding, so I had to be attentive.”
Rajan has been involved as a director in her acting projects. She adds that letting go of the reigns was a fun change, saying, “I got to just show up and be Mrinalini and go back and not have to think about what we need for tomorrow, whether we already have that, coordinate things... I enjoyed not having that stress.”
With shooting underway for her next project, Margosa Mahal, with three-time State Award-winning BM Giriraj and starring Dhanya Balakrishna and Vinay Gowda, Rajan says she will carry with her the lessons she learnt ‘being a fly on the wall’ in Patriot. “Watching Mahesh sir directing Mammootty sir and Revathi ma’am was a delight. They are warm and generous, even when the scene they are playing has a different mood. The takeaway is simple – it’s how they show up, know their lines and are fully present. That’s all you have to do as an actor,” she concludes.