I finally feel like I am an actress: Anishma Anilkumar

Anishma Anilkumar, who had a breakthrough this year with Maranamass and I Am Kathalan, is now all set to make her Tamil debut, too. The Poovan actress speaks to us about working in Maranamass with Basil Joseph, her Tamil entry and more.



‘Now, people recognise me’
Anishma, who has became a household name with Marana mass, says she is now recognised more often. “Now, I finally feel like – 'Oh, I am an actress!' People recognise me and come to tell me how much they enjoyed my film, which is heartening,” she says. Does such recognition leave an impact on her? “I haven’t changed much as a person. I’m still the same. Perhaps my parents and grandparents played a big role in keeping me grounded.” Speaking about her expectations for her future, she says, "I just want to be part of films and do good roles – characters that people will remember. I have a wish list of directors I would love to work with."



‘I have always wanted to do a humorous role’


I did Maranamass after a gap. I had gone through several auditions around that time and was selected for this one after many rejections. I felt very lucky when I heard about the rest of the team. It was Sivettan’s (director Sivaprasad) call. Even I Am Kathalan hadn't released back then; only Poovan had hit screens. He decided to cast a newcomer. My role as Jessy in the film was something I had long hoped for – a humorous one. Rajeshettan (Rajesh Madhavan), Sureshettan(Suresh Krishna) and Siju Sunny also helped a lot during the filming.

On working with Basil Joseph


On working with Basil Joseph in Maranamass, the actress says, “Basil chetan is very spontaneous. I’ve always been a big fan of his work. As both director and actor, he offers suggestions and is receptive to our input. I was able to do most of my scenes well because Basil chetan was opposite me."


She adds, "He lets us know if something is good and offers suggestions. His humour is fantastic, and he even shows us how to do certain things. His support gives us great confidence. The entire set would light up as soon as he arrived. There’s so much to learn from him; his presence of mind is remarkable, and he improvises quickly.”




‘I play a village girl in my Tamil debut’


Making her entry into Tamil films, Anishma says she had her concerns as she was heading to a new place. “When I started shooting in Tamil, I was worried about the industry being unfamiliar. And I had scenes with Vikram Prabhu (the film's lead) right at the beginning. I wasn’t sure if I was communicating well with him at first as we didn’t get a chance to talk before the scene. But he turned out to be very kind and often helped me during the shoot. Later, he asked me about my films and I felt he really likes Malayalam films. He plays a cop in this one, and I play a village girl.”



‘I should thank Tamil films for my fluency in the language’


Was she worried about her Tamil and dialogue delivery? Of course! “I learnt to read and write Tamil from old posters, films and the like. But only now have I become fluent in the language. During the time I lived in Chennai to prepare for the role, I did gain some confidence, but there was always this anxiety about how it would pan out. I should thank all the Tamil films I’ve watched,” she says.

Her favourite Tamil films include those of Mani Ratnam, and she adds, “My father and I are big fans of Kamal Haasan’s films."

‘The director would act out some scenes for us’


Anishma also attended an acting workshop before the shoot and feels it "helped me immerse myself in the role”.


Suresh, who has worked as an associate director with Vetri Maaran, is directing the film. Anishma says, “The director had a lot of confidence in us and a clear idea of what he was doing. He would act out some scenes for us. He has a solid grip on his craft and knew exactly what he wanted. That gave us more confidence.”


‘Kochi has become a home for me’


Anishma is currently living in Kochi, which has become a home of sorts, and she has also made many friends in the industry. “I know all the routes here. My school friends are all in Thiruvananthapuram – not that I’ve ever had a very large friends circle. But in Kochi, most of my friends are from the film industry. The people I’ve worked with in the past are now friends more than colleagues,” she says.