Veteran South actress Suhasini Maniratnam and Malayalam megastar Mammootty have starred in several films such as Manivathoorile Aayiram Sivarathrikal in the 1980s that are still dear to Malayalis. In an exclusive chat with OTTplay, Suhasini Maniratnam, who recently debuted in the Malayalam digital space, talks about her experience of working with the Malayalam megastar, and the term ‘complementary acting’ that he introduced to her. Suhasini also recalls that the megastar even once ‘schooled’ her for not attending the Kerala State Film Award ceremony after winning the Best Actress Award for a film that Mammootty was not even a part of. Read on to know what the megastar told Suhasini about the importance of the Kerala State Film Award.

When Suhasini Maniratnam got a ‘big dose’ from Mammootty

Suhasini Maniratnam, who was a part of several acclaimed Malayalam movies in the 1980s, won her first Kerala State Film Award (Best Actress) for Ezhuthapurangal which also featured Ambika, Parvathy Jayaram, Murali and Nedumudi Venu. Talking about the film and her surprise at winning the award, Suhasini told OTTplay, “I had no clue that I was going to win a state award for Ezhuthapurangal because I have done women-oriented films in Malayalam, quite a lot of them. Adaminte Vaariyellu, Ente Upasana, Pranamam, Manivathoorile Aayiram Sivarathrikal, and Oohakachavadam. There are so many films I have done."

“But Ezhuthapurangal was a very mature and intellectual take on three women. In the film, Ambika was an advocate but she couldn’t save her own life, while Parvathy was a rape victim, I was the middle one and how three of us got together. It was an amazing story. This film happened just before I got married. I was a mature woman and had the intellectual ability and the emotional ability to play a writer in that film. I am glad I did it,” she explained.T 

However, the veteran actress was unable to attend the prestigious award ceremony and got a call from Mammootty, who was not even a part of the movie.

She said, “But unfortunately, I couldn't go for the state award function because I think I was not in the country at the time. I got a big dose from Mammootty, who asked ‘How come you were not there for the state award ceremony?’ And I told him, I was not in the country. He told me that Kerala state awards are the most genuine and the real awards and you should never miss it. And I decided that next time, when I get it, I have to be there.”

Suhasini had to wait for more than a decade before she got her next Kerala State Film Award (Best Actress) for Theerthadanam which starred Jayaram.

Sharing her experience, Suhasini said, “I was lucky and I got the second state award for Theerthadanam. When we did the film, I thought Jayaram would get the state award. I was not sure if I would get it. But I was pleasantly surprised by the award. The year was 2000, and I had gone on a holiday to Europe with my mother and son. So I was observing her - how she talks to people and gets downstairs. And I kind of imitated or took some inspiration from her body language. The credit goes to her also, and of course the director GR Kannan and MT Vasudevan Nair's script. Thank you.”

Working with Mammootty was one of the best things that happened to me: Suhasini

Suhasini debuted in Malayalam cinema with Padmarajan’s Koodevide, which starred Mammootty and Rahman. Talking about her experience of starring alongside the megastar, Suhasini says, “Working with Mammootty was one of the best things that happened to me. I got lucky. It is like being Kamal Haasan’s niece, living with him and watching his arc of characters and his body of work was a gift for me. Similarly, acting more than 10 films with Mammootty was a gift for me. I took it for granted at the time. I didn't realise the importance then. Now today, in retrospect, I wonder how lucky I had been to work with him."

Rakkuyilin Ragasadassil (still known for the song Poomukha Vathilkkal), Pranamam, and Ente Upasana are among the notable films that featured Mammootty and Suhasini in the lead roles.

“So beautiful every film that we did. He always called it complementary acting. When we acted together, he was really comfortable. He was the one who introduced the term complementary acting to me. He says two characters should complement each other when they perform together. We did some really good films. I really wish that I had not been so busy with Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada films, that I could have done more films in Malayalam and especially, with Mammootty,” Suhasini remarked.

Suhasini on Malayalam auteurs Padmarajan, Fazil, KG George

Suhasini’s filmography in Malayalam has some really big names of directors such as Padmarajan, KG George, and Fazil. Recalling the auteurs’ approach to filmmaking, Suhasini said, “Yes, I have been very lucky to have worked with Padmarajan, Bharathan, KG George, Sethumadhavan, Fazil, and not to miss Priyadarshan and Joshiy. It was wonderful to work with all of them. When I worked with Bharathan and Padmarajan, I had no idea about KG George, or what acting was all about. But they kind of embraced my innocence and lack of knowledge of the craft. They treated me with respect and care. So that was very good. But by the time, I worked with Fazil, I think I was a little more experienced. So with Padmarajan, KG George, and Bharathan, it was learning, and with people like Fazil, it was unlearning. All the mistakes were corrected by them, which was correct. It was really wonderful. When I work with such directors is when I come home happy, content and so peaceful."

Suhasini on Malayalam cinema

Suhasini has left an impression in each of the South film industries with several notable performances. Ask her about how different Malayalam is from other industries, Suhasini says, “Malayalam films are not different. They are the most realistic films that I have seen or worked in. That way coming for a Malayalam shooting, there are no fears, no apprehensions. You don't have to be doubting how it will be. You come with clarity because Malayalam films are so close to life. Especially, for someone like me, who believed in no makeup, or no extra anything that was artificial, in terms of makeup, costumes, dance or body language, Malayalam cinema is or was the most ideal industry.”

However, when OTTplay asked her if she had to pick one industry in terms of the quality of content created, Suhasini voted for her native film industry, the Tamil cinema.

“My favorite would be Tamil as Malayalam budgets are smaller than Tamil. In Tamil, they would have bigger budgets so they could use all the parts of technology. So if you talk about the film industry in the South, my vote would be for Tamil. Having said that, Malayalam is far ahead of all other languages, in terms of intellectual representation and content,” she opined.

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