Nyla Usha explores her gritty side in Porinju Mariyam Jose

Gulf News

See more at https://gulfnews.com/videos/entertainment  Malayali actress and Dubai-based radio presenter Nyla Usha had to step out of her comfort zone to play the titular role in revered director Joshi’s ‘Porinju Mariam Jose’, out in the UAE on August 23. Her character makes one third of the trio in this 1980s period drama about three rebels who are disturbing and dazzling in equal measure. #NylaUsha #ComfortZone #PorinjuMariamJose

Transcript

00:00This is a story of Porinju, Mariam and Joseph, obviously we have heard it around in Dubai

00:08as well.

00:09So, they are three wonderful characters who have grown up together, so they could be friends,

00:14they could be a little bit of love inside, so those are the things we will have to wait

00:17and watch.

00:18Fantastic.

00:19So, the movie, like I told you a little earlier, it is set in the 80s, so that is where they

00:24have actually grown up as adults.

00:26They have all got their problems and by Mariam wears that particular attire, which even in

00:3280s, women don't usually wear that, that was back in 60s, women used to wear that attire,

00:36but why she is wearing that, there is a reason behind that.

00:39So, that is part of her character, she is a very bold person, she lives alone, she kind

00:45of is a don, who dons the market, she is a money lender and all of that.

00:50She is a hustler.

00:51Yeah, she is.

00:53So, that is why the attire, which gives everybody a facade that she is a very bold woman, but

00:58inside she is very emotional, she is very light and there are moments where she tears

01:03up.

01:04So, I think this is the movie where I have cried the most, where I have literally cried

01:08in ways I have not even done in my real life.

01:11So, that is what Mariam is about, it is one of the most beautiful characters, even if

01:17it was not me, I would have really loved watching that character on screen.

01:21Nice.

01:22For a director like Joshi, sir, when he approached me for the character, my biggest concern was

01:27if I could actually portray that character on screen.

01:30He is coming back after four years, you know, so four years of gaps, so he is coming up

01:34with a big movie, the entire industry.

01:36What was his last movie?

01:37His movie was Laila O Laila, with Mohanlal and Amla Paul and all of that, so he took

01:41a break of four years.

01:42So, four years sabbatical and now he is back.

01:45He is back.

01:46And what do you say, when this movie came up to me with Jojo, Jojo is apparently a friend

01:50of mine, so we have been knowing each other, so he is the one who actually suggested my

01:53name to Joshi, so why don't you try?

01:54It's a very unlikely choice, may I add.

01:55When I saw you in this attire, I am like, is that Laila?

01:56I mean, the one I see with Robinson, you know, I follow you, I stalk you on Instagram between

02:05us.

02:06I am like, how does she shop much?

02:07Then I knew you were the ambassador, therefore something made sense.

02:09Yes, yes.

02:10Isn't she an artist?

02:11But I do shop as well.

02:12But I love it, I love all the shopping sprees you go to.

02:16Kidding.

02:17And then I see you in this avatar.

02:18Yes.

02:19Very not glossy.

02:20I would never actually be in that attire to wear that Christian outfit, I would never

02:22have worn that in my real life otherwise.

02:24So to get into that attire, because the way that the dhoti drapes itself is very different.

02:30And this is my outfit throughout the movie, though it has a beautiful combination.

02:32It was the easiest, no costume changes, is it?

02:34No, there are costume changes, there are different kinds of whites and blues, where it might

02:38all look the same to you, but different costumes.

02:40But it was wonderful, even the hairdo, I had to curl my hair up to, you know, also to make

02:47myself look a little different, you know, having the straight hair and all that.

02:50You look very polished right now, so it's a very good transformation.

02:53It is, no?

02:54Yeah.

02:55How many hours did you like, is there like...

02:56Yeah, to do that hair, it took me a lot of time and with the humidity in Kerala, I step

03:00out and it becomes almost straight, so...

03:02I know.

03:03I can imagine.

03:04So it was really, it was a, you know, we shot in this place called Kodungallur in Thrissur.

03:07I know Kodungallur, my best friend is from there.

03:09Is there?

03:10Chavakkad, Kodungallur, that side.

03:11Ah, yes.

03:12And we shot it during the peak summer, it was really tough.

03:16And we shot in the market and all of that and the movie is set in 80s, so there are

03:19a lot of things we can't shoot because this is all modern Kerala now, so we can't show

03:23that, so we had to wait till everybody closes the shop to do the fight scenes and chase

03:27scenes and stuff like that.

03:29So I had all that, you know, I had fight scenes and chase scenes and all in the movie, so

03:33there were mass dialogues where, you know, I take out the jacky lever from the car and

03:37I give a dialogue and I'm like, are people even going to take this from an actor like

03:41me because, okay, for Manju Warrier or someone of that big charisma or...

03:45She did that with Kanmadam.

03:46Yeah, she could do that.

03:47I mean, people would take it, but then if I do it, well, people will take it, but then

03:51it's all on Joshi sir.

03:52In a Joshi sir movie, you can expect the actress to do that.

03:55Right.

03:56Nothing is me in the movie.

03:57It is very unlikely, except for the fact that we're all like, we all have a bold face, whenever

04:00we want to, we just put that face and we make up, nobody, if we're not, we don't want to

04:03talk to you, we put that face and you're not going to talk to us or mess with us.

04:06So that part of it is there, but other than that, she's not me.

04:10You know, she's a very different woman, her attire, you know, the way she sits and, you

04:14know, it's more of a don, female don, like a mafia.

04:18But then it's not, it's a very village story.

04:21So you know, I lend money, if I like someone, I don't take interest, I'm like, you don't

04:25give me interest, it's fine, you can take it.

04:26So there are light moments with children, there are a few conversations and few scenes

04:30where Joshi sir had made people understand that she's not a bad person, you know, she's

04:34got a lighter side to herself, she's a nice, happy person.

04:36She's rough on the outside, but inside she's quite a softie.

04:39That's just a facade he's made.

04:40You're a coconut.

04:41Yes.

04:42Or a jackfruit.

04:43Jackfruit.

04:44Jackfruit.

04:45But you need to tell me, what was Joshi sir's brief to you?

04:48Did he ask you to let go?

04:49No.

04:50You said he was very kind in the way he looked at you.

04:52Yeah, exactly.

04:53So the very first scene was where I was, the scriptwriter describes, so where I'm walking

04:57down the stairs and I'm giving money to someone who comes and asks me for money for his wedding,

05:02to hold his wedding ceremony.

05:04So I go and give it to him and I say, okay, you enjoy, you don't have to give me, you

05:07know, any interest for this, go enjoy your wedding.

05:09And then they take the bike and go off, they invite me and go.

05:12So there's a backstory to why I'm saying I don't need money.

05:15So all this, he told me, he came and told me.

05:17So this is why she is like this, you know?

05:19So her eyes should be a little, she should tear up a little bit because she's connecting

05:23that to her own marriage and stuff.

05:25So I did that to my, that was my very first scene.

05:29So like you said, you know, I was all scared and nervous.

05:31And Joshi sir, I've actually known him to be one of the most short tempered directors.

05:35So I was expecting to be yelled upon.

05:38So I was like, okay, this is okay.

05:39So after that scene, he came up to me and said, you did it beautifully.

05:42So he didn't have to say that.

05:44I mean, he's somebody who's actually said, start action camera to almost the biggest

05:50of actors.

05:51Yeah.

05:52Yeah, yeah.

05:53So many actors.

05:54So he doesn't have to come and tell that to me.

05:56So when he came up to me and said that you've done it beautifully, when I know that I could

05:59have done much better.

06:00It was not too okay.

06:01When he came and said that, I understood that he wants to, you know, this is Mariam is yours.

06:06So try and do whatever you can do out of it.

06:09And let's work together.

06:10And there are certain scenes, he said, okay, when you say this, no, say it in that way,

06:13say it with a punch.

06:14It'll be good.

06:15Come on.

06:16Let's see if Naila can do that.

06:17So I do that.

06:18And I just quickly look at him.

06:19He'll be like, yeah, it's okay.

06:20So there are directors who would sit there and yell on the mic and say that it went wrong.

06:22It was not right.

06:23Naila, come on, do this.

06:24So that actually, you know, kind of puts you to a bully.

06:27But yeah, that's okay.

06:28Yeah.

06:29But he's in spite of being a director, a master director, he does this, you know, he walks

06:34all the way up to you to tell you that this was not right.

06:36Maybe we could do it.

06:37It kind of shows respect for the actor as well.

06:39Correct.

06:40You kind of like it.

06:41Yes.

06:42Because he's treating you well.

06:43Right.

06:44Right.

06:45There's also a lot of conversation about how women are portrayed in cinema, not just Malayalam

06:47movies and Malayalam movies generally sometimes not.

06:49Is this role going to change anything?

06:52Do you think any movie has?

06:54Yeah.

06:55See now, Mariam is the middle name of Puranju Mariam Jo.

06:58So that shows protection by two characters.

07:03When you see the movie, you would understand who Puranju is to Mariam and who Jo is to

07:07Mariam.

07:08So he has actually rightly placed Mariam in the center.

07:10So there is a lot of respect the characters around Mariam gives her.

07:14There's a lot of love and the way he has actually portrayed the character is as good as a hero.

07:20So you could say that Mariam is also a hero in the movie.

07:23So actually, when you look at it that way as to not giving women importance in cinema,

07:27well, this character is a don that he has actually made.

07:30And even inside the cinema, I think he's only treated me with respect.

07:34I know you're an outsider.

07:36You have everything to prove, I think, with every movie.

07:38So for you, what's the biggest fear when such a movie comes out?

07:41I know now, especially that the trailer is out and everybody's raving about it.

07:45So when people talk a lot about it, you're like, oh God, I just hope people don't come.

07:50Yeah, with Jojo, the flavor of the season, I think.

07:52After Joseph, he's like, he's on a binge.

07:56Everybody's like, haven't you seen Joseph?

07:57I'm like, yes, I did.

07:58You did.

07:59Yeah.

08:01You know, the difference between Jojo and Chemban is, Jojo keeps asking everybody.

08:05He even asked me, is it okay if I do this?

08:06And I was like, come on, you're asking me?

08:08I myself am praying and standing there to do that shot.

08:11But Jojo asks everyone.

08:12He asks, sir, he asks everybody, is it okay if I do this?

08:14If I okay, I sit like.

08:15But Joseph, I mean, Chemban is an actor who comes all prepared.

08:19He's very chilled.

08:21And when you sit in front of an actor like Chemban, you'd be like, oh my God, how could

08:24somebody be so chilled?

08:25A bit intimidated.

08:26Also, and you know, the way he does, there's a scene where he rolls on the floor and laughs

08:31and all that.

08:32I mean, like, I would have never done that.

08:33Seriously.

08:34Can you describe this character in three words?

08:39She's strong.

08:41She is, bold is a word which everybody uses.

08:45Feisty?

08:46Yeah.

08:47But I shouldn't put words in your mouth.

08:48You tell me.

08:49She's feisty and she's love.

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