Text Credits: Nikhil Wilson

Saniya Iyappan is working her way to the top. Playing the lead role in the movie Queen Saniya is making her presence felt on the big screen with three movies in her list. She burst forth on the entertainment scene through the reality dance competition D4Dance Season 2, in which she secured the position of the second runners-up.  FWD Life had a rendezvous with Saniya who is appearing for her class 10 board exams.

What do you love and hate the most about being a celebrity?

It’s just that there are times when I want some privacy when I’m with my family and friends but most of the time it’s hard to get it. The thing I love the most about being a celebrity is the love and recognition I get from people.

Tell us about how you procured your first lead role in the movie Queen.

It was through an audition that I got the role. When I heard the script, I knew that Chinnu and I were not very different. My dad is an engineer and he wanted one of his daughters (my sister or I ) to take up engineering. But Sadhika took up Psychology and I’m looking to pursue my career in dance and fashion designing. So in a way, I was hoping to make my dad happy by acting in the film and taking up the role which I would not really take up in my real life and that is being an engineering student.

Saniya Iyappan and Family

Source: Saniya Iyappan

How was your experience of working in Queen?

It was really fun and a new experience for me. It was like a preview to college life and it was just the opposite for other actors. They had their chance to recreate their college life memories.

 If you had to choose between film and dance, which will it be?

I shall choose dance because it is my passion and my life.

What are your thoughts about the trolls that were made about you and your character Chinnu?

There have been many trolls that were intended to make fun of me or to hurt me. But I think of them as my motivators. It was because of them that more people came to know about me and my character Chinnu.

In  Queen, there were some controversial dialogues and scenes. What was your initial response when you came to know about the dialogue by Salim Kumar?

I didn’t know Salim sir was a part of the movie at first because those scenes were shot before my schedule started and I didn’t dub my voice so I didn’t get to see the scenes. When I first went for the movie, I couldn’t hear the court scene dialogues as the audience was screaming and clapping hard. I felt an adrenaline rush when I heard those dialogues.

What would you like to tell our readers?

I’m just a 15-year-old girl, I have always been an energetic, fun, and crazy person. When you fake your true nature for someone else, you will only lose yourself and your true loved ones. Be yourself no matter what others say because there is no one like you and that’s what I believe.

Source: Saniya Iyappan

Saniya’s previous Instagram account was hacked, click the link to follow her new Instagram account

The post Saniya Iyappan – All Set To Conquer The World Like A Queen appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.

Interview by Suhas KM   Translated by: Shilpa Ann Stanley   Words by: Charishma Thankappan

Delivering much talked about characters and films like Cocktail, Left Right Left, and Ee Adutha Kalathu; editor turned director Arun Kumar Aravind speaks about his journey and his latest film Kaattu.

What interested you to work for Kaattu when you heard the script?

It’s been 17 years that Kaatu script has been written. I am very close to Anandhapadmanabhan and we had discussed a few scripts. And I think around a year and a half back, Murali Gopy had mentioned that Pappan has a script and he asked me to listen to that. If you ask me what attracted me to this script is, the milieu. The story is set in the ‘70s and ‘80s, where there was no electricity; technology hadn’t come up. So we wanted to revisit that era and show it to the present generation.

The legendary director Padmarajan’s stamp is there in this movie Kaattu. How challenging was it for you?

It was a great responsibility for me when I chose Padmarajan’s characters in this movie. I wanted to ensure that nothing should go wrong. And now the responses which we are getting are more than our expectations. To portray that particular period, I think we have used all the technicalities. We have taken all the shots in the brand new camera Arri XST. We have used master prime lenses for that and the sound has been done by Dolby Atmos. To recreate the ‘70s and ‘80s, I think all the departments have worked really hard for this.

What made you choose Asif Ali to do the role Noohakannu?

When I heard the description of the character of Noohakannu, I was well convinced that Asif was appropriate for that role. When I discussed the role with him, he quickly felt like doing the film. And moreover, we were confident enough with him because he could easily transform into Noohakannu’s mannerism and physicality.

I have noticed that all your heroes have shades of grey and are not categorised in black or white. Why so?

It’s nothing like I wanted to create those ‘grey-shaded characters’. We’ll always see people’s positive face. But each and every one of us has a negative aspect too. So it becomes natural if we reproduce them in movies in a realistic way.

Critics have pointed out that your characters take a lot of time to get established, as either positive or negative. What do you have to say about this?

In my view, the story is carried out through my characters. So if there is no substance in them, and if they are not able to transform into that appropriate character I don’t think the audience will be able to accept the plot or the movie. And furthermore, we have different kinds of audiences too. Some audience can accept the characters even before they are established. But there are some audiences who need detailing in characters.

Following three hit movies, you returned with the movie 1 BY 2, casting Murali Gopi and Fahad Fasil. Almost everybody was expecting the movie to be a huge success, but unfortunately, it didn’t do well. What do you think could have been the reason?

I don’t consider it is an average movie. People have expectations once a movie is released. And I think this movie couldn’t meet people’s expectation. This might be the reason of failure. I should state that I have put the same effort in this movie too.

Was it the failure of 1 BY 2 that made you wait for another three years for your next movie?

Whatever it is, be it success or failure, it doesn’t affect me. I am a person who thoroughly hands over my movie to the audience after the making. Thereafter, it is their choice to accept it or not. Every movie is a learning process for me.

Your combination with Murali is a known hit combination in the Malayalam movie industry. How did it start?

I approached Murali to act in one of my movies. After that, we had a lot of conversations on many subjects. Ee Aduthakalathu was one of them and I was really impressed by the storyline. I asked Murali to write the script for that, which initially he denied because he wasn’t very confident about writing a script after the failure of the movie Rasikan. With time, after we started talking to each other, we understood that we have the same vibe. We are looking forward to more movies together in future.

When did you consider shifting your career from editing to direction?

When I started my career, I never had any plans to become a director. After editing almost 30 films, I thought of making a film and I was interested in learning direction. It was while doing the movie ‘Kaanichivaram’ that I finally decided to try out direction.

Your production Vedi Vazhipaadu faced a lot of problems because of the censor board. What is your impression about the interference of the censor board?

The censor board doesn’t have any authority to chop a movie; they have the authority to only give film certification. Today, I think almost everyone can see all sorts of videos which are accessible on the internet. So I really don’t get it as to why the censor board is demanding to cut a few scenes and several dialogues from movies. They claim that it affects the audience in many ways. Actually what censor board is doing is something which is not satisfactory. Do they think that our audiences are fools to follow what they see on screens? Our audience is knowledgeable and intelligent enough to take the movie as it is.

Actors like Indrajith, Murali Gopy, Jayasurya, and now Asif Ali have had the best performances of their careers in your films. What’s the secret behind it?

I’m happy to hear that. All actors should be like clay so that the director can mould them according to how the character should be. If you give a defined character, they will be able to deliver their utmost performances.

The post Winds of Change: In conversation with Kaattu director Arun Kumar Aravind appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.

Interview By: Suhas KM   Compiled by: Shilpa Ann Stanley   Words by: Charishma Thankappan    Featured image: Jinu Abraham

He began his journey as a scriptwriter and made his way into the director’s seat. Jinu Abraham talks about how he found his inspiration for Adam Joan in this exclusive interview with FWD Life.

Adam Joan is your directorial debut. What made you don the director’s hat?

I had no plans to direct the film. But as I was very thorough with the script, Prithviraj asked me to direct it.

How did you get the storyline for Adam Joan?

Years ago, I was in Scotland, searching for the location for the film London Bridge. The weather was gloomy, with dark skies and fog. I imagined that there was someone who was very disturbed. He was wandering about and searching for something. From that moment I got a story started taking shape in my mind.
A lot of things were added and contributed to this movie. It took more than two and a half years to complete it.

Image source

What made you venture into black magic/ satan worship in Adam Joan?

It is primarily the story of a girl who is kidnapped and tracing the story behind it. Indian films have generally explored the subject of kidnapping with the stories of organ transplant, trafficking, etc. But Satanic worship is a new notion that came into my mind.

One day when I was driving through Edinburgh, my Line producer Shine showed me a lady on the road, who looked very strange. She was walking fast, wearing a black dress. Shine told me she was going for satanic worship. This incident gave me the idea for Satanic worship in Adam Joan.

I researched a lot on satanic worships. I read books and watched movies which had satanic worship because I never wanted any kind of influence of those movies in Adam Joan. I am from a Jacobite orthodox family in Pathanamthitta. When I was young, I had heard a lot of myths like Karuthachan ootu which is black magic. So, I have taken a lot from these for the film.

Did you always have Prithviraj in mind for the title role?

Yes. I shared the story with Prithviraj and I was very sure that he would show an interest in this film. We know each other since the days of the film Masters. Even though the film wasn’t a big hit, he had always trusted and believed in my work. That gave me courage.

Adam Joan has a lot of foreign actors. How did you rope them in?

I had a concept about how the villians should be. So, we made all the settlements and I sent all the references to my line producer Shine. He made all the arrangements with the casting agencies of Scotland. They gave us a short list, from which we selected our crew.

There were strong women characters in your first film Masters and now in Adam Joan as well. According to you, how important are women characters in this film?

Masters gave a lot of importance to women characters but it went unnoticed. In Adam Joan as well, after Prithviraj, the next important characters are Lena and Bhavana. Their characters of Daisy and Shwetha were never created with a conscious effort of giving prominence to women characters. I had a plan to create an entire film about the character Daisy, and so the character for Adam Joan was inspired from that.

How was your entry into the movie industry?

I was always very interested in movies. I had a passion for writing, reading and I used to watch a lot of movies. I admire MT and Padmarajan’s movies. I also idolise Madhu Muttam the script writer of Manichitrathazhu, under whom I have worked as assistant scriptwriter for Bharathan Effect. After that I wrote for Masters and moved into films fulltime.

You are a known scriptwriter, and now a director. How is your experience with the two?

It was a great experience for me. I am a very lethargic person. When I was the scriptwriter, I was tardy to reach the sets. But things changed when I became a director. I had to take a lot of responsibilities. But I enjoyed my work to its fullest and it has been a great experience.

What are your future projects?

I have some stories in my mind. I will choose the one which inspires me more. Basically, I am a scriptwriter, so I have a few more commitments to finish. Maybe after that, I will return as a director.

The post In the Director’s Seat: Jinu Abraham on his film Adam Joan appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.

Words by: Suhas KM, Shilpa Ann Stanly, Charishma Thankappan    Images: Zinil Zainuddin

Son of late actor Zainuddin, Zinil is taking wings in the Malayalam film industry. With his latest film Parava, he wishes to create an identity of his own, veering away from the shadow of his illustrious father. Read on to know more.

Parava is your fourth movie, in which you are doing a main role. How did you bag this project?

I know Soubin ikka quite closely. He has seen me take part in mimicry shows on TV, so perhaps he found me apt to handle the character in Parava. After acting in this film, I felt like I have done 100 films…that’s the kind of experience I had. It is a great feeling.

Parava is a big undertaking compared to your other movies. With Anwar Rasheed’s production and Soubin Shahir’s directorial debut, Parava is quite special. What was the experience like for you?

I am extremely grateful to be a part of Parava. Soubin ikka gave us all a lot of freedom. The entire shoot went very well. Also I consider myself extremely fortunate to have got the opportunity to work with Anwar ikka.

How was your preparation for Parava?

In this film, there are two stages in the life of my character Sharafuddin – one is when I was fat and the next when I become thin. I had to lose weight in two weeks no matter what. I used to get up by 3.30am and walk from Padivattom to Highcourt and walk back in the evening. Also, I had received a few injuries while doing stunt scenes, but I was so passionate about this film that I did not care about the pain.

How was it working with Dulquer Salman?

I have met Dulquer when I was very young; and he gave me chocolates then. After that, it was on the sets of Parava that I met him next. He is a very good person at heart. Sometimes, when we used to have early morning shoots, he used to ask me to do mimicry in order to fend off sleep. It was fun working with him. He is a real down-to-earth person.

What are your other interests?

I am interested in music and I write scripts for short films.

Which films of your father do you like the most?

I like Hitler, Mimics Parade, Alancheri Thamprakal, Innathe Programme. Even now I sit and laugh watching his movies, but I still miss him and that hurts deep inside.

Who is your favourite actor?

Fahad Fazil.

The post “I am extremely grateful to be a part of Parava” : Zinil Zainuddin appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.

Words by Suhas KM, Charishma Thankappan, Shilpa Ann Stanley  Images: Vishnu Thandassery

He made his arrival in the Malayalam film industry with his debut movie Orkut oru Ormakoot. After a gap of five years, Arjun Ashokan, son of seasoned actor Harisree Ashokan returns to films with Soubin Shahir’s directorial debut, Parava. He gives an insight into his work and life so far in this exclusive interview.

Parava is your second film. How did it happen to you?

I didn’t know Soubinikka very well personally, but we had met a few times. When my dad got to know that Soubinikka was doing a film, he called him. That’s when Soubinikka asked me to meet him. From then till now, it has been a long journey for me.

Tell us about your role in the film?

My character’s name is Hakkim, who is a typical Mattancherry youth who indulges in all sorts of mischief. I shan’t reveal more as the character is intrinsically linked to the story, so it’s better for you to watch and find out.

Image source

How was your experience working with the film? And as we all know it was Soubin’s directorial debut movie, so, how was it working with him?

It was a really great experience working with Parava’s team. Before the shooting started we all stayed together as the team. Working together gave us all a great energy.

Talking about Soubinikka, I was a little short on confidence in the beginning, but he moulded me slowly into Hakkim. I got a few references from him about the character. I got hold of all the costumes beforehand so that I could familiarise myself more with the character. I was able to learn a lot about movie making because each one of us was given complete freedom. Towards the latter part of the shoot, Soubinikka handed over the whole set into our hands just because of the trust he had in us.

Dulquer Salmaan is playing an extended cameo appearance in this movie. How was your experience working with him?

Mammookka is my favuorite actor, and I admire Dulquer a lot. Initially, I wondered about how it would be to interact with DQ. But I met him in a café after my first day’s shoot. From there, we started talking and I was very comfortable with him, he is a very cool person. It was a great experience working with him.

At the time when Parava was announced, it was highlighted in the news as the film in which the sons of three famous comedy artists – Abhi’s son Shane Nigam, Zainuddin’s son Zinil, and yourself – would be making a joint appearance. How was it working with them?

I didn’t know Shane initially, but I knew Zinil beforehand. We all interacted with each other before the shoot for Parava started, and were thus able to get very close to each other. Even now, we keep meeting. It was a great opportunity that I got to work with all of them.

Your debut movie was Orkut oru Ormakootu in 2012. How did that happen to you? You are doing Parava after a long gap. Why did you take such a long break between the two movies?

I was very active in various arts during school. Once, while dancing for a school programme, the brother of the director duo of Orkut oru Ormakoot, Manoj and Vinod, saw me and suggested my name for the film. That’s how I got my first film.

I used to go to the shooting locations with my father but I learned so many things after acting in the movie. I was not actually prepared to act in a movie as I was interested in music and DJing.

I thought of taking a break from movies because I wanted complete my education and become stable in my business. Parava came to me at the right time.

What was the advice you got from your father as you entered films?

He didn’t give me any particular advice. When I got this offer from Soubinikka, my father handed me over to Soubinikka entirely to mould me in whatever manner he deemed fit for his film.

Which is your favourite movie of your father Harisree Ashokan?

I love all of his movies. But he has done a different role in Baavuttiyude Naamathil and I liked his performance in that movie the most.

The post Arjun Ashokan Takes Flight Through Parava appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.