On February 9, 2024, Sangeeth Prathap had no idea his life was about to shift gears. That was the day Premalu hit theatres, and with it, Amal Davis was born.
The ride-or-die friend of Sachin (played by Naslen K Gafoor) quickly struck a chord with audiences. Social media was flooded with memes and posts declaring, ‘We all deserve a friend like Amal Davis.’ The film went on to become a runaway hit, rewatched and quoted for its wit and warmth.
At the time, Sangeeth was steadily climbing the ranks as a film editor, having worked on a number of projects. But Premalu gave him visibility like never before.
His next appearance came in Bromance, in which he played hacker Harihara Sudhan, a role again noted for comic timing. The 30-year-old also made a brief but pivotal cameo in Thudarum. Up next, Sangeeth will be seen sharing the screen with Mohanlal once again, this time in a full-length role in Sathyan Anthikad’s Hridayapoorvam.
In a breezy chat with TNIE, Sangeeth reflects on his dual career paths and how Amal Davis unexpectedly changed everything. Excerpts:
What was the moment in your life when you realised cinema was your calling?
My father, Prathap Kumar, was a cinematographer and worked as an associate with Jayanan Vincent. I grew up hearing stories about cinema and his experiences on the sets. I suppose that’s where the thought of coming into cinema first took root, somewhere in the back of my mind.
Editing is a difficult skill to master. What made you choose editing as your career?
Even though cinema was my passion, I also wanted the security of a proper job and income. So, instead of jumping straight into filmmaking and its uncertainties, I chose to study BSc Animation.
Editing was one of the subjects in our course. When I edited a trailer for the first time, everyone liked it, and I realised I enjoyed editing far more than 2D or 3D animation. Maybe it was again that pull towards cinema because editing was the only part of the course directly related to feature films.
After the course, I got placed in an animation company, but the income wasn’t what I had hoped for. So I began editing wedding videos. It paid better, and I enjoyed it more. From there, I started editing short films, and eventually, cinema happened.
Could you elaborate on your big break?
I started as an associate editor on Swathanthryam Ardharathriyil and later worked independently on Pathrosinte Padappukal. Before that, I was an associate and spot editor for about 10-12 films.
Anoop Kannan, my father’s friend and a director-producer, recommended me to editor Shameer Muhammed. The reason I got to work as an associate editor in my very first film was because Thomas P Sebastian, who was the associate editor of the film at the time, had to leave for another project, That opened a slot for me. Thomas is also the co-writer of Bromance.
How did the transition from editing to acting in Hridayam come about?
Acting is probably the most accidental thing that’s ever happened to me. It was something I felt I should never do. Once, while working on a short film, they couldn’t find someone to play the lead, so I did the role. After watching my performance, I had made up my mind that acting wasn’t my thing (laughs).
But there’s a common practice on sets where assistant directors or spot editors are asked to fill in for small shots. That’s how I did a small scene in Helen, which was produced by Vineeth (Sreenivasan) ettan. He cast me in Hridayam as well. I am not sure if that happened because anyone saw potential in my acting. I think it had more to do with the fact that my physique fit the role. There was no audition; it just happened.
When you took on the role in Premalu, did you ever imagine that your character would get this much hype? How do you feel about that?
I never expected the character to receive so much attention. I can divide my life into two phases, before and after Premalu. I guess it was a turning point for all of us (cast and crew). It changed our careers, the way we think, and even our plans for the future. One big change on my personal front is that now most of the projects I am working on are centred around acting rather than editing. And now, this is exactly what I want to do.
So, your focus has shifted from editing...
Yes. Naturally, our choices change as our interests evolve. But in my case, it’s not that my interests have completely changed or that I have left behind the art of editing. It’s more that I started liking, enjoying acting as well.
Talking of the art of editing, how did it feel to receive the State Award for editing [Little Miss Rawther] at such a young age?
While acting came to me by accident, editing was something I stepped into with passion and love. I sought out opportunities to become an associate because I wanted to make my mark in the editing field. I gave my 100 per cent to every film, always believing that it would lead to positive results. In my initial days, what I really hoped for was to be part of a film that succeeded at the box office. But I received something even bigger, a State Award. The recognition was totally unexpected and overwhelming. You can imagine.
Have you ever felt that editors don’t get the recognition they deserve, like directors, music directors, or cinematographers do?
Editing is a vital job that can affect the final result of a film. If a film is well-shot, editing becomes easier; otherwise, it requires a lot of effort and patience. I believe, as people’s knowledge of cinema evolves, every aspect, including editing, is being appreciated more. Films used to be all about the actors, then people started noticing the directors and writers. Now, cinematographers and editors are also getting recognition. Some express concern about the lack of visibility, but our job is meant to be seamless. The appreciation for our work will reflect that seamlessness.
How did you manage the editing of your latest project, Sarkeet, while being busy with back-to-back acting projects?
I had a two-month gap between schedules, and during that time, Sarkeet came to me. Within two weeks, the shooting began in Dubai. I received rushes through Google Drive and, like doing homework, I edited them daily. By the time the movie was finished, my editing was almost complete.
Sarkeet feels personally close to me. Now that I’m in a financially secure space, I want to focus on editing the kind of films I enjoy, without worrying about brand or commercial aspects. I want to be part of films that allow space for editing. After Premalu, the first project that came to me in this way was Sarkeet.
After Premalu, your first movie to release was Bromance. How did you ensure that Harihara Sudhan was different from Amal Davis?
The character was different from Amal Davis, and I intentionally chose that. From the look to the performance, I deliberately avoided any resemblance. I was insecure about my performance at first, but after the first day of shooting, Chaman Chacko told me after watching my first scene where I opened the door, “We were expecting Amal Davis to walk in, but it felt like a completely different person.” So, I just tried to hold on to that throughout the movie.
In Thudarum, they wanted a slightly more hyper version of Amal Davis, and for some of my upcoming projects, they’ve told me they expect that version of Amal Davis from me as well. Ultimately, actors are tools of the director; we can only do what they ask of us. So yes, there have been roles like that, but I believe Harihara Sudhan wasn’t one of them.
In Thudarum, your character was a surprise element that came in and changed the narrative. How did that opportunity come to you?
When I saw the announcement for the Mohanlal–Shobana movie, I messaged Tharun Moorthy asking if there was any character for me. He called me the very next day, saying there was a small cameo role. But this wasn’t just a passing cameo; it had real importance. He described the character as someone who troubles Lalettan’s character’s two favourite things: his car and his son. It was a fun role, and I was excited about the chance to spend time with Lalettan.
How were your interactions with Mohanlal on the sets?
I was a bit sad because I never really got a chance to properly interact with him during the Thudarum shoot. But that feeling came to a beautiful closure with Hridayapoorvam. Every day on that set, from 8 in the morning to 9.30 at night, I was with Lalettan.
And surprisingly, the day Thudarum was released was exactly one year from the day I started shooting for it. So, the same day I first met Lalettan ended up being the day the film released, and I was sitting next to him, watching the film together. A lot changed in that one year. I feel very fortunate that I was able to build such a close connection with him.
Could you share more about Hridayapoorvam?
It was after watching Premalu that Sathyan sir called me for the film. It is a throughout character for me. When Thudarum released, many said the role Lalettan played had that classic old Lalettan vibe, and I think this one will be an extension of it. It’s a film with plenty of enjoyable moments. That’s all I can share for now.
Many legendary actors who did comedy roles are no longer with us, and comedy films are becoming less frequent in Malayalam cinema. Do you think there’s an irreplaceable gap?
I do feel there’s a kind of emptiness in Malayalam cinema without them, not just in comedy, but overall. Earlier, Sathyan sir’s set was like a whole package. So many great artists were once part of that space, and now we miss each one of them.
As for comedy films, I’m not sure how to assess if there’s a real shortage. I don’t feel like we’re lacking. Premalu was a comedy movie, Padakkalam is getting great reviews now, and before that, we had Romancham. So I feel films are coming in at regular intervals.
Are there any actors or directors who have inspired you?
I don’t want to single out just one name; the industry itself inspires me. We don’t need to look to other industries for motivation. The examples are right here in front of us. The people around us are all inspiring in their own ways.
Do you prefer comedy roles, or are you looking to explore character roles in the future?
In Hridayapoorvam too, you might still see me in the familiar fun and comic shades of characters like the old Amal Davis or Harihara Sudhan. But after that, I’m trying to shift towards doing more serious character roles. The first step in that direction is a film called Baby Girl. Nivin Pauly is playing the lead role. There’s not a single frame of comedy in that film. Up next, I’m doing a lead role in a film, but I can’t say much about it for now.
Is there any update on Premalu 2?
The official updates are yet to come.
Do you have any plans to try your hand at direction?
Not at the moment. But I do have that desire. I started out with an interest in direction, and it’s something I want to do someday. I just hope the opportunity comes along.