Pearle Maaney wears confidence on her sleeve. And that is what is helping her roll up her sleeves to reach new heights in cinema. The 26-year-old is now on a career high with some plum roles in Mollywood, even as she juggles it with her stint as a television anchor and hostess of stage shows.
When MetroPlus catches up with her over the phone, Pearle is on the sets of Kappirithuruthu, a movie about which she can’t stop gushing about.
“It is a beautiful movie, set in Kochi of the 50s. I have a well-fleshed out character, that of a Jewish girl, Aami, who falls in love with a Hindu boy, Sadasivan (Sadu) much to the dislike of their families. It is a totally different game for me with a new look, lot of beautiful dialogues and many heart-warming characters in it. The intrinsic charm and cultural history of Kochi, especially its music and art, have been captured in it,” she says.
What makes the role even more exciting for her is that she is paired opposite Adil Ibrahim, her co-host of dance-based reality show D4 Dance .
“On the show we are making wisecracks and having lots of fun. But here we play this couple in love. We had to work a lot on creating the chemistry and getting into the skin of the characters. However, when we are not shooting, we keep laughing at each other… at our make-up and looks,” says the effervescent Pearle.
The film shows different stages of Aami’s life, from that of a young girl to a 60-year-old.
“Apparently our director, Shaheer Ali, felt that I have a Jewish look and that’s how he zeroed in on me! It was challenging to play different phases of the character,” she says. Music is an integral part of the movie, with Madhu Paul and Rafeeq Yusuf composing the songs. “Music of Kochi’s very own Mehboob bhai is an integral part of the storyline. We have some real-life characters acting in it,” she adds.
Before Kappirithuruthu hits the theatres, Pearle is looking forward to see how the audience will receive her character in Ranjith Shankar’s Pretham .
She plays Suhanisa, who comes to learn Zumba at a resort run by the character played by Govind Padmasoorya. There she meets his friends, essayed by Aju Varghese and Sharafudheen. When she gets involved with the trio, many unusual things happen. Once Jayasurya’s character comes in, things get even more complicated.
“I can’t tell you how much fun I had on the sets. It was one of the most relaxed teams I have worked with. I could not be more different from my character; any similarities end with the costumes and look. Suhanisa is pretty serious in nature. It is unlike most of my other characters, most of which are comic,” says Pearle. She is acting in Team 5 , the shooting of which is currently on, which has cricketer-politician S. Sreesanth acting in it.
Pearle had vroomed to fame on her bike as host of the cookery-travel show Taste of Kerala on Amrita TV. She has had a fairly good run on the big screen as well, starting with Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvannabhoomi .
“It was a gradual process. Initially roles came to me because of my looks. After that it was my nature that fetched me roles and shows. After I did a romantic dance with Neerav ji (Neerav Bavlecha, one of the judges on D4Dance ) I started getting romantic roles! When Ranjith sir cast me in Njaan , suddenly people started taking me seriously…,” laughs Pearle.
Enroute she has got her share of bouquets and brickbats. Her trademark curly locks, uninhibited humour and fashion fundas keep on inviting attention and she has not been spared by trolls on social media.
“I take everything in my stride. Being a celeb is not a cakewalk. Everyday you come across a new actor, new anchor or a new show and you are continuously being evaluated by people who are total strangers to you. I have 70 lakh followers on Facebook and how can I expect all of them to like me. Ultimately, I have to like myself. You don’t have to prove anything to people you don’t know. That’s why I stay happy and chilled out,” she says.
And if you ask her what lies ahead, pat comes the reply.
“I want to become a motivational speaker, like my father, Maaney Paul. I have grown up watching him inspiring and motivating people across the world and would like follow the same path. It is true that I came in front of the camera to grab attention. Now that people know me, I am confident about connecting with them. I have already posted some motivational videos. I have no confusion about where I am going to be…,” she signs off.
