Those who watched Geethu Mohandas’s ‘Moothon’ are unlikely to forget the character Mulla, a 13-year-old ‘boy’ who stole hearts. Headlined by Nivin Pauly, the film received widespread acclaim.
Among its many powerful performances was that of young actor Sanjana Dipu, the actor behind the boy, who went on to win the Best Child Artist award at the New York Indian Film Festival.
After a seven-year break, Sanjana is making her return — this time as the title character in the Malayalam psychological thriller series ‘Secret Stories: Roslin’. The six-part series premiered on February 27 on Jio Hotstar, marking a new phase in her career.
Sanjana gives a compelling performance in the series. She inhabits Roslin’s fractured world so completely that viewers begin to experience the same unease and isolation the character experiences.
TNIE speaks to Sanjana Dipu about her return to the screen, her journey through cinema, and stepping into the intense world of Secret Stories: Roslin.
How did you come on board Secret Stories: Roslin?
Roslin came out of nowhere. I’ve known Vinayak Sasikumar through Instagram for a while.
One day, he told me about this project. It was his script, and Sumesh Nandakumar, who comes from the school of Jeethu Joseph, was the director. I auditioned, and things moved forward from there.
After starting your career with a dream team, why did you take a break?
Acting has always been my dream. I grew up loving films and have always been curious about stories and characters.
But I came to the cinema unexpectedly. Geethu Ma’am saw me at an event and asked if I would be interested in auditioning. That’s how I got the opportunity to be part of Moothon. I consider myself extremely lucky that my first project was with a team that included Geethu Mohandas, Rajeev Ravi, and Anurag Kashyap.
After that, academics required my full attention. So I stepped back and completed my studies. My parents have always supported my dream of acting, but they believed it was important to have a fallback option. Now that I’ve completed my studies, I want to devote myself fully to cinema.
What drew you to Roslin?
Roslin is a slow-burn mystery, with horror elements. It is more psychological than horror. What attracted me to it was the depth of the character.
After watching Roslin, someone told me that the anxiousness I portrayed felt very real. Since I studied psychology, I understand how difficult it is to portray such emotional states, so that appreciation meant a lot to me.
How was it acting alongside experienced actors?
It was truly an honour. Watching them while growing up is what made me want to become an actor. Vineeth sir and Meena ma’am have years of experience. Hakeem Shajahan is also someone who effortlessly brings expressions and emotions to his characters.
It was a learning experience. Also, it made me very happy to know that they appreciated my performance.
Were you nervous playing the lead role?
There was a lot of excitement before the shoot, but there was also fear because, as the lead, a lot depends on you.
You worry whether the audience might misunderstand the character or find her annoying. There is also the pressure to convey the director’s vision properly.
However, working with such a strong team helped. The feedback from the director and co-actors gave me confidence. When experienced people guide you, you learn to trust the process.
What is your long-term goal as an actor?
My goal is versatility. Awards and recognition are great, but for me, the biggest win is when people feel that Sanjana can fit into any mold.
So, I’m looking for projects with impactful characters and strong stories.