Mahima Nambiar wanted to be a bio-medical engineer. But her “smartest” decision was to get into the movie business.
There’s an interesting story as to how she landed her first acting offer. She was chilling at Bekal Fort (the one that appears in ‘Uyire’ song in the film Bombay ) with her family, when director Saamy was on the lookout for a heroine for his independent film Sindhu Samaveli (2010) — a role which eventually went to Amala Paul, and launched her career. A crew member from Saamy’s camp sent Mahima’s photo to director Samuthirakani, who eventually launched her in Saattai (2012). Cut to 2019, and Mahima Nambiar is shuttling between Tamil Nadu and Kerala trying to find a balance between the two industries. Excerpts from an interview:
Would you consider Kuttram 23 to be your breakthrough movie?
Absolutely! It was the movie that changed my career. Yes, people noticed my performance in Saattai , but I was largely stereotyped after that movie. To the point where I felt exhausted, and thought about quitting. That’s when Kuttram 23 (2017) happened, and it changed things for me.
Your latest movie with Arya, Magamuni , has opened to good reviews...
I’m fortunate that I’ve been getting good reviews for my performance. I was very excited when I got a call from Santha Kumar sir. For a director like him to notice my work itself was a big deal. I wasn’t confident about my character initially. But I picked up nuances from the director. With the presence of an actor like Arya, it was just an icing on the cake.
Mahima Nambiar in a still from ‘Magamuni’
Were you hesitant to take up the role at first?
Yes, it’s because the character (of a journalist) was something I hadn’t done before. The look that Santha Kumar gave for my character made me a little apprehensive.
Do you not want to work in mass commercial films?
Of course, I would want to try at some point. I’m not someone who is very considerate about screen time and commercial elements. In my head, I’m sorted. I’ve been approached for a couple of big films too. But I wasn’t able to connect with the characters I was offered. Perhaps I’ll get there someday (laughs).
Arya (L) and Mahima Nambiar in a still from ‘Magamuni’
You are a young actor. Does your age pose a threat to playing mature characters?
I don’t think so. An actor has to be equipped to play all kinds of roles. There are no two ways about it. For me, all that matters is how convincingly I am going to play the character.
We have seen you playing an urban character in Kuttram 23 and Iravukku Aayiram Kangal . But how do you prepare yourself to play rural characters? How do you get thing like the dialect right?
I remember Samuthirakani sir appreciating me for the interval block scene in Saattai , which had a lengthy dialogue in Tamil. It’s the best compliment I’ve received so far. Since then, my Tamil has improved fairly well. It’s entirely up to the directors, I think. Whenever I walk into a film set, I consider myself as a puppet. So far, it’s my directors who have moulded me.
What are your future projects?
I have Asuraguru with Vikram Prabhu and Ayngaran with GV Prakash Kumar. I recently wrapped up a Tamil movie, the announcement of which will be made soon. I also have a project with M Padmakumar in Malayalam.
