Swasika balances heavy-duty and light roles in upcoming films

The

Udayol

motion poster is fierce, if anything, showing the lower half of a woman clad in a red sari and brandishing a chainsaw. “It is a female-oriented thriller, based on a social issue in society. The story is centred around the heroine and villain,” says Swasika, who plays the lead, opposite Sarath Appani who is the antagonist. The film, written and helmed by Midhun Bose, also has Maqbool Salmaan.

Scripted during the lockdown, Udayol is being made for

OTT release

, and written bearing in mind the new protocols and shooting limitations. So the shoot, which is set to begin in mid-July will focus only on indoor locations. “I am using the time to prepare for the role, which evolves to show various shades of a person. It is almost like doing a double role,” says Swasika, who has returned to the big screen after a popular innings on TV.

How does it feel being in a film made for the relatively new OTT platform? “I guess there is more of a sense of freedom to depict things. For example, there are probably fewer restrictions in how bold you can be with a fight sequence in a thriller. So there is scope for different content. Also, the OTT platform offers an opportunity for new talents working on smaller films with smaller budgets,” she says.

Swasika was also the lead in the female-oriented Vasanti, which also features Siju Wilson and Sabareesh. On the film directed by the Rahman brothers, she says, “It depicts the journey of a woman from about 19 to 30 years, and how life plays out very differently from her hopes and the men who come into her life. I play a strong character in it and was required to convey a mix of emotions.”

But it is not all heavy-duty strong female roles for the young actress. She plays Dileep’s sister in the “start-to-finish, fun packed”

Keshu Ee Veedinte Nadhan

directed by Nadhirshah. “It is about the fun happenings when a family, comprising brothers, their wives and children, go on a pilgrimage to Rameswaram and Palani. The highlight is definitely the chemistry between Dileepettan and Urvashi chechi; their love and their little quarrels. It was a delight to be part of. The shoot is over, except for two songs,” she says.

She also has another family entertainer in her kitty, helmed by M Padmakumar and featuring Asif Ali and Suraj Venjaramoodu. “It is about the family life of policemen. But that will require outdoor shoot and probably a big crew, but I am waiting with fingers crossed for that to get underway as well,” she concludes.