The trailer of Idhayam Murali came with a lot of promise — a feel-good romcom with its moments, Atharvaa headlining the project, Kayadu Lohar and Preity Mukhundhan as female leads, Instagram influencer Niharika NM playing an important role, Fahad Faasil in a cameo, and then, a glimpse of Jonita. If you blinked twice to make sure that’s the singer herself, then you are not alone. Making her acting debut with the movie, Jonita shares her excitement with CE.
What drew you to this project? What made you say yes to your first acting role?
I really connected with the sincerity of the story and the way my character was presented to me. Even though it’s a cameo, it felt meaningful, and I didn’t want to take on an acting role just for the sake of it. This one felt organic, and I trusted the team’s vision.
You have spent years expressing emotions through music. How different was it to communicate those emotions in front of a camera rather than through a song?
They’re actually more similar than people might think because, at the heart of both, you’re trying to make someone feel something. The difference is that when you’re singing, your voice does most of the work. In acting, sometimes the smallest expression or even silence says everything. That was definitely a learning experience for me — trusting that less can often communicate more.
How was your experience on set?
The atmosphere on set was incredibly welcoming, which made stepping into a completely new space much easier. Language is definitely a challenge, but everyone was very generous and supportive. Honestly, every time I would get ready for the shot — just looking in the mirror would bring me into the character. I found myself completely immersed in the moment, trying to learn and be a sponge. That’s probably when it all started to feel real.
You have collaborated with some of the biggest names in Indian music. How different was working with the director and the cast compared to collaborating in a recording studio?
It was definitely a different creative process. In the studio, it’s often just you, the composer, the lyricist, and the music. Acting is much more collaborative because every scene depends on so many people coming together — the director, your co-actors, the cinematographer, etc. I really enjoyed seeing how every department contributes to telling the story.
Did your experience on stage help you as an actor, or did acting demand an entirely different set of skills?
Performing on stage definitely helped with confidence and being comfortable in front of people, but acting is a completely different craft. On stage, you’re projecting your energy to thousands of people. On camera, it’s often the opposite — everything becomes much more intimate and internal. It taught me to communicate with subtlety, which I hope comes through in my performance. It was a fascinating challenge.
Did your multilingual musical journey help you understand the cultural and emotional nuances required for a Tamil film, especially while portraying this character?
Absolutely. Singing in different languages has taught me that every language has its own rhythm, emotion, and cultural context. You develop a respect for those nuances instead of treating them as just words to pronounce. That mindset definitely helped me approach this film with sensitivity and openness, and I leaned on the team whenever I needed guidance. I insisted on dubbing my own voice for this character and worked very hard on trying to sound as authentic as possible.
Without giving away any spoilers, what do you hope audiences take away from your character in Idhayam Murali? Do you see yourself exploring more acting projects in the future?
I hope people connect with the honesty of my attempt, even though my character appears only briefly. Sometimes it’s not about the length of the role but the feeling it leaves behind, and I hope that’s what audiences experience.
As for acting, I’m definitely open to it if the right opportunities come along. I’d love to attach myself to stories and characters that genuinely resonate with me. Music will always be my first love, but it’s exciting to discover new ways of telling stories.
