In one of the early scenes in Prasanna Vithanage’s Paradise, set in Sri Lanka during the recent political crisis, Amritha (Darshana Rajendran) casually asks Keshav (Roshan Mathew) during their Ramayana tour, “What if Ravana awakens from his slumber and kidnaps me?”—likening herself to Sita. Keshav responds that the Rama within him would awaken too, implying that he would fight to rescue her, just as in the mythological epic. As the film progresses, this reimagining of the Ramayana increasingly blurs the lines between Keshav as Rama and Ravana, especially as the couple’s getaway takes an unexpected turn.
Paradise marks the third time Darshana and Roshan have played a couple on screen. In C U Soon, they appear as a couple who have never met in person, interacting solely through screens. In Rani, a short segment in the anthology film Aanum Pennum, they portray a seemingly carefree couple in pursuit of privacy, which soon takes an unforeseen twist. In each of these films, we witness distinct dynamics in their relationships and gender roles, handled with skill by these two talented performers.
As Paradise gains a wider audience following its release on Prime Video, we sit down with Darshana and Roshan to discuss the film, how their performances have evolved, their insights into the current situation in Sri Lanka, and much more.
Excerpts
After a fair run in the theatres and festival circuits, how do you both feel about the response for Paradise post its OTT release?
Darshana (D): It’s been really lovely. I feel that each time the film is viewed, whether it’s from a festival or a theatre or now in the comfort of our homes, it offers a different experience. It’s also a great feeling knowing that a small film like this has travelled so widely, in various forms, reaching audiences everywhere. I feel like this is the ideal outcome.
Roshan (R): This is one film that I really wanted as many people as possible to watch. There was a genuine desire to ensure it reaches a wide audience and that’s why we made a bigger effort to promote it than we usually do. I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with such great talents to create something so effective.
Roshan, you were involved with the project much before Darshana came on board. We also heard it was initially meant to be about a North Indian couple...
Yes, Prasanna sir had initially envisioned the couple as a North Indian woman and a South Indian man. The relationship dynamics and the story were the same, but there was an added layer of language difference, not just between the couple and the people in Sri Lanka, but also between the couple themselves. However, Prasanna sir and Rajeev (Ravi) ettan decided to reimagine the couple as Malayalis just before shoot. I felt this change brought more clarity and a smoother flow to the story. I’m glad it worked out this way, as it allowed us to cast Darshana, who is an incredibly talented actor.
How was the experience working with Prasanna Vithanage, who’s known to extract the best from his actors?
D: It was empowering because there was a trust in my instinct about where the character was heading. Whenever we did a scene, if something felt off, Prasanna sir would pause to consider why I made that choice. This approach meant I didn’t have to second-guess myself or worry that my instincts might be wrong. I felt very supported, with minimal intervention. It was as if I could fly with the character, knowing he was there to guide me if needed.
R: For me, it was more contradictory and involved a lot of second-guessing, third-guessing, debating, and confusion. Prasanna sir encourages the actors to take more ownership and responsibility for their characters than usual. Usually, we perform as the script dictates or according to the director’s vision. But here, we were genuinely trying to find the truth in each moment, especially given how these characters make drastic decisions while trapped in a life-and-death situation. Such extreme experiences are rare and usually happen by misfortune, so you can’t predict how people might react. I had my doubts about portraying these reactions, but it never reached a point where I felt the need for Prasanna sir to say how to play out a scene. He’s also very open as a director and accepts that our interpretations might differ from what he initially imagined.
Roshan, you had differences of opinion regarding the fate of your character. Was it like that from the initial drafts of the screenplay?
No, this ending was finalised during the final draft, just before we were getting ready to shoot. I was quite taken aback by the ending, and my opinions on it were rather different. However, with Prasanna sir, the conversation was always open. Right from the first draft, we had discussions about every nuance of the film. I knew that there would be a space to talk to him and find a place where we could meet each other.
Darshana, did you find it challenging to communicate your character’s feelings subtly instead of expressing them vocally?
I found it liberating because I didn’t feel the need to express something just for the sake of it. I felt that as long as I understood my character’s thoughts, I could communicate them effectively. For example, there’s a moment where Keshav scoffs at Amritha to finish her novel instead of blogging. While performing that scene, I felt like this couple might have had this conversation several times before, but Amritha, right now, is enjoying what she’s doing and is in no mood to fight. Such thoughts kept running in my mind throughout the shoot, but I didn’t feel the need to communicate them through evident expressions. With several great talents associated in each department, I felt I just had to deliver my truest performance and it would be translated beautifully on screen.
Initially, Keshav and Amritha come across as an idealistic and filmy couple, but only till the cracks gradually start showing up. Their contradictory natures are deftly presented in various moments, including an intimate scene where Keshav gets slightly rough. How much of these minute details were actually on paper?
R: Prasanna sir’s script may not be very descriptive, but if you read it carefully, it gives a clear picture of the characters and their present mental state. The intimate scene you mentioned happens when Keshav is feeling the most euphoric, like he’s the king of the world. To him, physical intimacy is also a place to celebrate or exert his dominance. All these details need not be spelled out on paper, you’ll know it from the scene placement. If seen as a standalone scene, one might assume it as just another intimate scene between a couple on an anniversary trip, but if you know the context, you’ll be able to understand its purpose and meaning better. Paradise is a film where each moment and dialogue has a meaning.
Regarding the ‘filmy couple’ interpretation, we have a theory for it. During the shoot, we used to discuss Keshav and Amritha’s past. When Keshav first met her, he might have thought of it as an usual relationship that could last a while, but not something that would lead to a marriage. During this phase, like how most people do, he hides his shortcomings and presents what he believes is his most appealing version. He continues it for five years and that’s what you see in the film’s beginning. But during a moment of crisis, his real self is forced to come out. It was always a bubble waiting to burst.
Beyond the country’s natural beauty, how was the general shooting experience in Sri Lanka?
D: I had earlier visited Sri Lanka as a tourist, but the experience this time was different as we got to interact more closely with the people. Apart from the repercussions of what’s happening there, the reality is evident in small things we didn’t initially notice because of our protective team. For example, we used to get cabs immediately after booking them, but Prasanna sir later mentioned that it’s only because tourists book them. There’s also a scene in the film when my character is amused on seeing a candlelight dinner, which is actually because of a power cut.
R: During the shoot, there weren’t enough interactions with the locals to fully grasp what was going on. We learnt more about the situation when we decided to stay back after the shoot. When we visited a shopping mall to watch one of Prasanna sir’s previous films, I thought the mall looked nice, but not as busy or crowded as usual. But as we walked inside and looked closely at the stores, we noticed there was hardly anything on the shelves. So, just like the relationship between Keshav and Amritha, it might initially seem like everything is fine, but when you look closely, you start to see the real picture—that it’s not exactly a ‘paradise’.
Just like the Ramayana, Paradise is also getting multiple interpretations now, particularly about its ending...
D: During one of our festival screenings, someone asked if the ending was developed through constant discussions between me and the director. But the truth is, there were no such discussions. We knew the eventual destination, but he let me choose how to get there. Initially, I was also taken aback by the ending, but I was convinced that there are certain moments in life that are out of your control. Since I haven’t experienced anything like that personally, I didn’t know how to react, so I just trusted my instinct and went ahead. I still have my questions about it. Even recently, when we both discussed the parallels between Ramayana and the film, we realised that our perspectives on it and who’s representing who are still not the same. That’s the beauty of a film like this where everyone can take something out of it.
R: Keshav can’t be simply boxed as a Rama or Ravana, and that tells a lot about the world we’re living in today.