My first break -- Navya Nair

I was in Standard Ten in 2002, when I got a call from one of the ace Malayalam directors, Sibi Malayil. He saw my photograph which had appeared in Malayala Manorama. I was chosen to act with Dileep, then an up and coming actor, in the film Istam. I come from a village Madhukulam, in Alleppey District. So when I was given the heroine’s role, my family was thrilled. During the shoot, I did what the director asked me to do and after the film’s release I knew I had done a good job. My first Tamil film was Azhagiya Theeye.

How it felt

I became an actor by accident. In my tenth standard, I was the school topper, scoring 92 per cent. It was my dream to become a doctor. So I chose the second group (science with biology) in my Plus Two. The minute my first film was released, I got the offer to act in the second film and I was not able to concentrate on my studies and didn’t fare well in the Plus Two exam. Hence I decided to do a B.A. in English. My second film was also with Dileep. Titled Mazhathullikkilukkam, it was directed by Akbar Jose. Both films ran well. After my graduation I’ve decided now to do my MBA.

How life changed

I lost my privacy. I couldn’t go to college though I wanted to. I wanted to go abroad for studies or at least out of Kerala. I was not able to do any of these as I got busy with films. I’m not a professional cinema person, but I’m passionate about films and acting. I like to be myself whenever I come back to my house in Kerala. I go out with close friends. They don’t think I am a star so it is easy to enjoy best of both worlds — actor and college student. I have done nearly 30 films in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. I have also got the Kalaimamani Award and the Kerala State Best Actor Award in 2002 for the film Nandanam and again in 2005 for my two films Kanne Madanguka and Saira.


Courtesy:thehindu.com
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