Manjima Mohan Interview: I gravitate towards emotional characters
Pushkar–Gayatri’s Suzhal 2: The Vortex has multiple characters who traverse a whirlwind of emotions as they try to gain some form of catharsis, something Manjima Mohan could relate to. While there have been some mixed reactions to the second season of the series, Manjima’s performance as Nagamma has earned critical acclaim and audience appreciation. In an exclusive conversation with CE, the actor spoke about bringing Nagamma to life, how the character echoes her previous roles, her approach to portraying such emotional characters, and more.
Your characters go through emotional turmoil in all the prominent titles in your career (Oru Vadakkan Selfie, Tughlaq Durbar, Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada or Suzhal 2). Do you intentionally choose these roles?
I think I prefer these roles for some strange reason. It could be a coincidence, or perhaps directors visualise me in such roles and approach me in the casting process.
In Suzhal 2, you play a character with many layers. She is a protective mother figure but also does not hesitate to chop one’s head off. Which part of Nagamma resonated with you the most?
I am not going to chop off anybody's head (laughs). The protectiveness, for sure. I think we're all vulnerable at some point as well.
Were all these elements in the script?
A majority of them, yes. Nagamma is an innocent person whose whole world is her husband. Now, after the world is shaken, her protectiveness goes from the husband to those eight kids, because when she sees them, her motherly instinct kicks in.
Her ability to instantly judge people, like, say, Lal’s character, is also interesting. Where does she get that strong sense of empathy?
Nagamma does not trust Chellappa (Lal) completely, but somewhere she feels safe with him. When she sees Chellappa helping the prostitutes, for instance, she probably looks at him differently from how Sakkarai does, because she has not seen anybody who she can trust. Maybe Chellappa standing up for those people made her feel a little comfortable, and she knew she could not hold on to these kids for a long time. So it is the timing of meeting this person that makes her take this leap of faith.
There have been some mixed reactions to Suzhal 2, but your performance is being unanimously appreciated. It was the other way around in your first film as a lead, Oru Vadakkan Selfie…
I had not thought about this irony before. The criticism I got for Oru Vadakkan Selfie affected me a lot as it was my debut. I do not take all the criticisms. I know which ones come from a good place. Some critics reached out to me, and those criticisms I take to heart. But saying something just to hurt someone, that I disregard.
There is a lot of restraint in your acting, especially when it comes to the emotional parts. Like in Tughlaq Durbar, for instance. Was it a conscious decision to approach your characters like that?
I am happy that you mentioned Tughlaq Durbar, but not many do so. The restraint happens spontaneously. As for Tughlaq Durbar, the director wanted that role to be like that. She does not talk much because she has a history with her brother.
I deeply connect and empathise with these characters. And I find crying on screen a bit easier. Not to say I enjoy doing it, because then it would be sadistic (laughs). After Oru Vadakkan Selfie, I have been conscious of it.
Was that the case with Suzhal as well?
Yes, I kept telling my DOP Abraham that ‘I have this scene to do’ and ‘This particular thing is running in my mind.’” I asked him, ‘What if the scene doesn't work?’ Abraham has seen Oru Vadakkan Selfie, so he knows the history. He encouraged me to do it the way I would like to, saw the edit later, and appreciated my performance.
Your film with Nivin Pauly and Unni Mukundan, Mikhael had a spin off (Marco) that enjoyed tremendous success recently. Did you watch it?
I'm yet to watch Marco. I did Mikhael for two reasons. One, because I had a lot of pressure at that point to do a Malayalam film. Many people from the Malayalam film industry reached out to me, urging me to 'register my face' as I had not done anything in a long time. Secondly, it was a good team to work with.
Have you not felt like going back there?
I would love to do films in Malayalam again because that is my home also, right? If I did not do Malayalam movies, I would not be sitting here today. But then again, it also depends on what kind of scripts come to me.
What's next?
I have not signed anything yet. Hopefully, now, after Suzhal, I can. I have been listening to scripts.