Garggi Ananthan made a dream entry into the Malayalam film industry with her debut film Run Kalyani, which earned her the Best Actress award at the New York Indian International Film Festival.
Her foundation in acting was shaped at the School of Drama in Thrissur and later at the Department of Performing Arts, Pondicherry University. Following her debut, Garggi appeared in Gramavrikshathile Kuyil, the anthology Normal, and Ekan Anekan. She has also acted in Chera, which is yet to be released.
Starting her cinematic career at a young age, Garggi has proven her potential with her recent performances in the supernatural thriller Vadakkan and Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal, which has stirred a lot of online discussions.
In a conversation with TNIE, Garggi speaks about her journey, her experiences in the industry, the recent controversy over Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal, and her aspirations. Excerpts:
How did your journey into acting begin?
I have been interested in acting since childhood. My father once saw an ad of the School of Drama and took me there. That’s when I started doing theatre seriously. I did my first film, Run Kalyani, after completing drama school. It was through Sunitha C V, who was also part of the film, that I got the opportunity. I met her during an audition for another movie called Eeda. That didn’t work out. But later, the director of Run Kalyani came across my photograph and reached out to me.
How did it feel to win the Best Actress award for your debut film at a prestigious film festival then?
I was elated. But it happened during the lockdown. If not, I could have gone to New York. I also feel that I missed out on other opportunities because everything was at a standstill during that period.
Run Kalyani didn’t receive much attention at the time. However, both Vadakkan and Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal have now set off discussions. How do you feel about this?
It’s a little overwhelming. I am not someone who constantly checks social media, so taking it all in feels a bit much. But at the same time, I am really happy. When people say they liked my work, it brings me so much joy — especially when they point out specific moments or details they appreciated. That means a lot. Someone recently watched Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal, and posted about how rare it is for a character (played by Garggi) to linger in one’s mind even days after watching the film. Hearing something like that made me feel incredibly grateful.
Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal has also sparked some debate due to its portrayal of an intimate relationship between cousins. What are your thoughts on this?
From the perspective of the character, it’s about two people who have never spoken to each other since birth — complete strangers. Their fathers were once close, about 20 years ago, but in all those years, these two families haven’t been in touch. They may not have even mentioned each other’s names at home. These two individuals grew up in different countries, shaped by different cultures, with no real connection between them.
On top of that, neither of them received the kind of emotional support they longed for from their families. If you look at my character, no one speaks to Adhira with love, except for Sethu. They come from a family like that — emotionally distant. So they end up finding comfort and support in each other.
There’s another aspect to this. There was a traditional concept of ‘murappennu’ — where a man marries his maternal uncle’s daughter. It was prevalent here, and I think many people still follow it. The connection through the mother’s side is seen as less direct, as the families are considered different, unlike those on the father’s side. This actually shows the belief that male lineage carries the family’s bloodline.
I do see value in online discussions. However, they shouldn’t be reduced to just issues of sexual or physical intimacy. There are multiple layers and perspectives worth exploring.
Vadakkan is quite different from typical Malayalam films. How did you perceive the film, and what was your experience working on it?
There are two reasons why I loved Vadakkan. First, the character I play is full of energy, someone who’s loud and restless. You could even say the character is a bit foolish. Usually, I get roles that are much calmer and more composed. So, playing this one felt refreshing.
The acting process itself was quite unique. Unlike traditional filmmaking with clear camera setups, action cues, and close-up or mid-shots, this was totally different. The entire house was filled with cameras. We would start acting in one room, and the scene would run for 5-6 minutes before they called ‘cut’.
In theatre, we perform continuously for two hours, knowing exactly where the audience is and where to direct our energy. But here, we had no idea where the camera was. Later, I found out there were 17 cameras placed around the set. We even had GoPros fixed to torches that we carried, so as actors, we were partly handling the camera too. I am grateful to writer Unni R for giving me the opportunity.
What are your upcoming projects? What kind of roles or stories are you hoping to explore?
I have been focusing on theatre for a while now. I have scripts to read, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. I need to sit down with it and see what’s coming up.
One thing I want to do is play a villainous character. I’ve never had that. Even in theatre, I am always cast on the ‘good side’. I would love to explore something dark and intense, someone with twisted thoughts yet appearing completely innocent on the outside. I would also love to take on a full-fledged comedy role. Comedy is one of the most difficult genres to pull off.
