I used to get DMs saying I should become an actor: Riya Shibu

Riya Shibu, Kerala’s new crush, charmed the audience by playing Delulu, the loveable Gen Z ghost in the Malayalam film, Sarvam Maya. Apart from being an actress, Riya has also handled production work in films like Vikram’s Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2 and built a fanbase as a content creator. Excerpts from a chat:

‘How I am as Delulu is how I am in real life’“Sarvam Maya didn't feel like work. It felt like I was at home. Akhil chettan (Director Akhil Sathyan) contacted me after seeing a reel of my interview. How I am as Delulu is how I am in real life. That's the real me, except that she's a ghost!”

‘Nivin chettan and Aju chettan are funny in real life, too’“I had a fangirl feel when I saw Aju chettan and Nivin chettan’s combo. They are just as funny in real life as they are on screen. They don't give star vibes but rather a boys-next-door vibe, so you automatically feel comfortable. When Nivin chettan is on set, his energy radiates, and everybody else around him also calms down and becomes happy. Aju chettan elevates the character he plays and quickly does so many acting variations.

‘I got to understand a lot about classical dance from Preity’“It’s in Sarvam Maya that I performed classical dance for the first time. I was a bit scared because it was challenging. I also got to ask and understand a lot about classical dance from Preity (Mukhundhan). She is very sweet. She'd deliver expressions in the exact metre that Akhil chetan wanted every time.”

‘My film journey began during my viscom days in Loyola college’“I was always interested in filmmaking and storytelling. When I did viscom at Loyola College, it was exciting to get assignments to make a short film within a particular time limit. I used to write the script, direct, act and then edit. I was doing something I was very passionate about."

‘I make reels out of passion; every video comes from a place of happiness’“I started content creation because I enjoy shooting and editing. Every video of mine comes from a place of happiness and excitement. I make reels out of passion. People who love my content like me for being myself. I used to get DMs saying I should become an actor. When people who enjoy my content want me to grow, it feels like my friends are cheering me on. It’s great to have people be happy for you.”

‘If I were to produce Veera Dheera Sooran alone, I'd feel I don't know enough’“Right now, I'm fully focused on acting. But if my papa (producer Shibu Thameens) takes up any production work, I’ll sit with him and learn. Since the films I’ve produced have been a collaborative process with my papa, it felt calmer. If I were to produce Veera Dheera Sooran alone, I'd be a little confused and feel unsure. I feel I need to learn more before taking up production single-handedly because it involves money, stars and a lot of responsibilities.”

‘The T-shirts I wore in Sarvam Maya were mine’“My interest in fashion started when I began to draw Disney characters. After that, I imagined dresses in my head and started drawing them. I’d even give marks out of 10 to each outfit that I drew. Choosing what to wear every day was honestly my favourite part of going to college. For Sarvam Maya, Sameerechi (costume designer Sameera Saneesh) asked me to share pictures of outfits from my wardrobe because she knew I like dressing up. The Friends and DOSA T-shirts that I wore in the film are mine. I used to mostly wear jeans, but I’ve now shifted to linen pants after finding them comfortable while wearing them on the Sarvam Maya set."

‘If Sarvam Maya is home, Athiradi is like going to college’“I'm playing a fun role in Athiradi (her next film, also starring Basil Joseph, Tovino Thomas and Vineeth Sreenivasan). Working with Basil (Joseph) ettan is fun. I joined Athiradi three days after completing Sarvam Maya’s shoot. If Sarvam Maya is home, Athiradi is like going to college. There was banter, fights, comedy and fun in the film. It felt like working with friends. ”

On acting in other languages:
The challenge would be to act naturally in a language I don't know. You've got to be more present and less conscious. But if we are interested in something, we don't look at it as a disadvantage. We’d want to go past that challenge and finish the task.
Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”