With the Malayalam film ‘Oh My Darling’ due to release, Anikha Surendran confesses to being nervous

As actor Anikha Surendran gets ready for the release of Oh My Darling, she confesses to being nervous about the expectations of an audience that saw her as a child artist

Anikha Surendran with Melvin J Babu in the film | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Oh My Darling is a big one for Anikha Surendran. The former child actor, now 18, makes her ‘debut’ as the lead heroine in the film directed by Alfred D Samuel. As much as she is looking forward to the film, she is nervous too. Being one of the lead actors comes with “a huge responsibility. I have been seen as a child actor and the audience will now see me as a ‘grown up’, a heroine; there would be expectations from me,” says Anikha. 

Although she made her debut as a ‘model’ when just eight months old, for her acting debut in the film Chotta Mumbai (2007) she was a three-year-old. “It would seem like I have grown up in the public eye, getting here has been a gradual, step-by-step process, ” says Anikha over the phone. She has been part of films such as Great Father, Bhaskar the Rascal, Kadha Thudarunnu, 5 Sundarikal, and Bavuttyude Namathil. She has also been part of the Tamil films Naanum Rowdythaan, Yennai Arindhaal, and Viswasam; as well as the Tamil web series Queen.  

Anikha has also acted in Tamil and Telugu films in a career spanning 15 years.  

In Oh My Darling, Anikha is a college student, Jenny while Mukesh and Lena essay her parents. The film also stars Manju Pillai, Johny Antony, Nandu, Melvin J Babu, and Shaju KS.  

“A lot of the stuff shown in the film is what people my age do or for that matter any Gen Z kid. It may not necessarily be how i may behave or who I am but that’s how a lot of people in my generation are. It is a light-hearted film,” she says, responding to the question about how intimacy is portrayed in the film. “I have grown up watching English shows and films, so I am not awkward about a kiss, for instance, if the role demands it why not. There is nothing wrong in a kiss…why not normalise it rather than make a big deal of it?” The film is a love story about two college students and what happens in their lives.

Social clout

Anikha has a huge fan following on Instagram, at a staggering 1.4 million; veterans such as Manju Warrier and Parvathy Thiruvothu have three and two million plus respectively. Anikha takes the figures in her stride, fully aware of getting too invested in social media and its figures. “During the lockdown, I got into it too much and it messed with my mental health. So I took some time off and now I don’t spend too much time on it.” She is, however, grateful for the support that has come her way on the platform. “There are a few fan pages that have been extremely supportive of me and they have my back.” 

This year is also special because , she made her Telugu debut as the lead in Butta Bomma, the Telugu remake of the Malayalam film Kappela. Her performance in the film released earlier this month has been appreciated. Her other projects in Malayalam are Lovefully Yours Veda, which also releases on February 25, and the under-production King of Kotha starring Dulquer Salmaan. The Tamil films she is part of are PT Sir and Vasuvin Garbinikal.   

Anikha Surendran | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Since she has acted — as a child artiste — with Mohanlal, Mammootty, Jayaram, Kunchacko Boban, Dulquer, and Jayasurya…, does she have a favourite? “Not really. Tovino Thomas is one of my favourite actors and Vineeth Sreenivasan. I loved him in Mukundan Unni and Associates!”

Her favourite film or memory of a set where she had fun was the ensemble film 5 Sundarikal [Sethulakshmi], for which she got the Kerala State Award for Best Child Actor in 2013. “That film is close to my heart. It was one of those few times when there was someone else my age on the set. Chethan [Jayalal] was the other kid and it was so much fun.” 

Busy with projects in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu, she says Malayalam would always be special to her.      

Now that she has grown out of child actor roles, what does she look for in a role?  “Rather than the screen space or time, I am interested in how good the team is, the role and the character,” says Anikha.

 Oh My Darling releases on February 24.