It is not every day that director Ram comes up with a feel-good comedy. But that's exactly the genre he has attempted in his next, Paranthu Po, headlined by Shiva and Malayalam actor Grace Antony. Paranthu Po marks Grace's debut in Tamil after making quite a mark in Malayalam with films like Kumbalangi Nights, Kanakam Kaamini Kalaham, Rorschach, Nunakkuzhi, and Appan.
'Ram sir chose me seeing Appan'
Interestingly, Appan (2022), which explored a dysfunctional father-son relationship, was the reason why Ram thought Grace would be the apt choice for Paranthu Po, which explores a complex dad-son relationship with humour. "I have been getting Tamil offers for a few years now, but I wanted a solid launch here. That was when Nivin (Pauly) chettan, who was working with Ram sir in Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai, informed me that the director was interested in casting me in his next. Honestly, I wasn't familiar with his works. Then I watched Peranbu and his other films. Once he narrated the one-line, and then read through the five-page synopsis. I immediately accepted the film. Ram sir was kind and also keen that I understand the character and situations, so he took the help of a Malayalam translator to translate all my dialogues."
'I am a Vijay fan'
While Tamil cinema industry night have been new for Grace, the language was not a barrier since she has been an avid fan of Tamil movies since childhood. "I have grown up watching Tamil films, and I have been a fan of Vijay sir since my school days, so being in a Tamil film wasn't really a culture shock for me. However, the scheduling of shoots varies in both industries. Back in Kerala, a 30-day shoot wraps up in 28 days; here it extends. I do not mean it as a complaint. Paranthu Po unfolds in different terrains, so I feel the extension is justified. But since this is my first Tamil film, it struck me as a bit odd. But the shoot process was fun nonetheless."
'Paranthu Po was a rewarding experience'
Grace describes her debut film as nothing short of an adventure that pushed her limits and enabled her to become a better actor. "We shot in Coimbatore and Palakkad mostly. My character had to both scale mountains and swim around in lakes. Since some of the sites we shot were frequented by wild animals, there were time restrictions and we had to shoot at breakneck speed. I also suffered injuries during the shoot to the point of requiring surgery. In the end, it was all rewarding, as Ram sir appreciated my acting and asked me if he could write more scenes for me than planned."
'Shiva compensated my social anxiety'
Grace confesses she is a socially anxious person and finds it hard to open up to new people. But that was not a problem in Paranthu Po, thanks to her co-star, the convivial Shiva. Calling him an extroverted classmate who would do anything to have fun in the classroom, Grace says, "To my advantage, I magically lose inhibitions in front of a camera. But on the sets, it was Shiva who kept us entertained. There were days when he wanted to leave early, and he just went to Ram sir and made me the scapegoat. Also, since it was a rather compact set with limited actors, socialising wasn't a requirement."
'I am not a heroine material'
Grace, who is confident about her strengths in comedy, has no qualms admitting that she might not suit the typical heroine roles in our films. She is also smart enough to point out that longevity as an actor is much more valuable than a glittery but short career. "I want to act even when I am old and frail. I know my strengths and limitations. So I am more keen on working on character and comedy roles. Also, thankfully, Malayalam cinema's idea of a heroine has not been reduced to a mere glam doll yet, so the differentiation between a heroine and a female "character" role is not too much."
'Bharatanatyam removed my stage fright'
Beyond acting, Grace is also a trained bharatanatyam dancer. She says this has helped her acting career in more than one way. "Bharatanatyam removed my stage fright, increased physical flexibility and instilled confidence in me when I began acting. Also, in a Bharatanatyam performance, you need to express excessively so that even the person sitting in the last row can enjoy it too. I had to tone down this habit of mine in front of the camera. I made my debut in a film called Happy Wedding (2016) and a ragging scene involving me went viral, and that film fetched me more comedy roles and eventually Kumbalangi Nights (2019). I can say that for me and the other emerging actors, that film was an acting institute. That film gave me a lot of awareness of the shots and angles and taught me how much to act and move my body according to whether a scene is being a two-shot, wide or close."
'Judge a film on its merit, not stars'
Grace made a bold statement last year in an interview, saying that a film needed to be appreciated according to what it offers and not who is headlining the film. While it is impressive that the new crop of actors are standing their grounds, there is the possibility of a pushback from the star-driven industry. However, an undaunted Grace says, "We cannot be in denial that some star-driven films aren't turning out to be profitable for the producers. The Malayalam film industry is vertically divided between producers who back star films alone and those who back films based on the content. As actors, it is our responsibility that the producers don't run into losses."
'I am not a fan of female-centric films'
Grace prefers to be called a film lover rather than someone who just likes acting. She also harbours a strong desire to pursue writing and direction. She hopes to challenge social perspectives and derive artistic pleasure from her endeavours. "I made a short film, K-nowledge. It is about menstruation, but I gave it a funny treatment and it went viral. It gave me the confidence to pursue these vocations. During Covid, I devoted a lot of time to writing. My male peers, who knew I liked to write, used to ask for my suggestions on how a female would react to a particular situation. That was when I realised that there is a dearth of understanding of basic female sensibilities. I want to capture those sensibilities, break body-image stereotypes and be inventive. To be honest, I am yet to get a role that totally blew me away. Today, there are only a few female comedy actors. One of the reasons is the emphasis is still on making a woman look pretty and not throwing her into an absurd situation to evoke humour. Having said that, I am also not a fan of female-centric films. I don't understand why men need to be sidelined for making females look important on screen. I want strong female characters to be written even in non female-centric films. Films need to accommodate both genders, rather than going for male-centrism or female-centrism. In the long haul, I would also want to produce films."
'Paranthu Po is a triangle love story'
Grace calls her Tamil debut an endearing but different kind of love triangle. She says, "Paranthu Po is a triangle love story between a son, his mother and his father. The family that I am a part of in this film is simple and sweet. The problems we face are not complex but very quotidian issues. The film will teach parents the importance of spending time with their children without being preachy."
'Privileged to act with Mohanlal and Mammootty'
Grace could not contain her excitement over her next big project helmed by Mahesh Narayanan, which marks the reunion of Mammootty and Mohanlal after a few years. She says the opportunity to share the screen space with the legends was a happenstance. "I visited Mammukka on the sets just to say hi. That was when Mahesh Narayanan asked if I could act in the film. Mammukka promptly replied, 'Yes she can.' He can say that and I will agree because he is the actor that I was most comfortable around. I play a minor character, but I am privileged to be one of the very few actors to share the screen space with these legends together. I am very much excited about that project as well."