Words by Charishma Thankappan     Photographs from Jinson Abraham

It is not just her cascading hair and eyes full of depth that belie her age. Niranjana has a steady head on her young shoulders and a cultivated outlook towards her flowering career in films that places her far beyond her actual years. “I am a very direct, simple person. I generally don’t have a mask and whatever I have to say, I say directly. I am very much the same as an actress – a very rooted person.”

Having made her debut in Loham with Mohanlal, Niranjana has gone on to act with the top actors of the Malayalam film industry in her subsequent films – C/O Saira Banu (Manju Warrier) and Puthan Panam (Mammootty). Asked if she found it intimidating to find herself on the same stage along with the veterans of the field, Niranjana said, “No. In fact, it is their quality to make the newcomers feel extremely comfortable that makes them so great.”

Not a stranger to cinema, Niranjana’s entry into filmdom was thanks to director Ranjith, who is also her uncle. “When I was in 8th Std, I pestered him with my desire to act. At that time he did not encourage me to enter the field of movies. But as I was relentless over the years, he finally gave in, and that’s how I got the chance to act in Loham,” she says. That gives rise to the stereotypical question that every beginner with a film background is targeted with – is it, therefore, easier to be in the industry thanks to her famed aunt and uncle? Niranjana replies with vehemence, “It’s a very common misconception that people have – that coming from a film background makes it easy for you; but no, it actually makes it a little harder. One can always dream and aim higher, but there’s always the role of luck and blessings – it’s just destiny whether you go on to succeed.”

Working with seasoned actors right at the outset has exposed her to the various styles and approaches adopted by them towards their profession. Niranjana relates her experiences with Mohanlal and Mammootty, which she claims are completely diverse. “Lal uncle wouldn’t let me sit idle any time. As we had many combination scenes, he would make me practice the dialogues. He did so by making it like a game, where he would come and ask me a dialogue out of the blue, even when I was wondering about.” Mammootty, on the other hand, “switches off from the environment and then suddenly comes straight to the scene,” she says. “I guess he depends on spontaneity, which is amazingly easy for him; but really difficult for others!”

Talking about her experience with FWD Life’s cover shoot, Niranjana says that she was very happy with all the characters that were chosen for her “because it would be a dream for me to be like them and the fact that I was able to be them even for those brief moments, was something I’m extremely happy and feel blessed about”. With the opportunity enabling her to take a trip back in time, are there any fond personal memories she likes going back to? “I enjoy living in the present. I don’t like going back – I would just cherish a memory but wouldn’t long for it,” she says matter of factly.

Though she is still finding her feet in the trade, like every neophyte who comes with dreams in their eyes, does she have a dream role she secretly aspires to? “I do not have any dream role because whatever I imagine will be derived from something I’ve seen, and that won’t work out because it has already been done by someone else in its best and highest potential.”

Not one to mince her words, the youngster is also averse to fixating over a role model. “I don’t have a particular favourite role model as then I will end up mimicking that person. I take the best of the many strong personalities or role models whom people look up to – everybody who is able to teach me something.”

As she takes baby steps into the film arena, Niranjana has managed to acquire big life lessons. “I have learnt that tension and anxiety – my weaknesses – don’t get me anywhere. I used to get myself worked up before any major event by overthinking. So I have started to tone down on that by taking every moment as it comes. I’ve started taking things a little more lightly and it has done me good.”

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Text: Nikhil Wilson, Charishma Thankappan    Image: FWD Media

Everyone has that special moment in their life, where they realise they are special and make their most crucial and life-altering decisions. It’s those little sparks that you get from certain situations or individuals, that give you the strength to do something life-altering. From family to a complete stranger, it can be anyone, anywhere who might influence you and give you that spark.

Niranjana Anoop talks about her inspiration and how she made the decision to get recognised just like her aunt Revathy. Everyone gets a chance and a call for glory, but only a few take up the challenge and conquer it.

The post Stepping into the spotlight – Niranjana Anoop appeared first on FWD Life | The Premium Lifestyle Magazine |.

Text: Aiswarya John    Photos: FWD Media

Once you lace up your chilanka and adorn the temple jewellery that Bharatnatyam is famous for, there is no better feeling than letting the music take its course. Every breath you take is in sync with each turn of the shoulder, curve of the lip and the graceful mudras, as your lithe body and feet perfectly align to the tunes, and every movement and expression recites a different story.

It is this incredible escape from reality that the young and vibrant Niranjana Anoop loves most about the art form. Hailing from a family of devotees to dance, with her mother being a dance teacher, it comes as no surprise that the young actress soaked up all the good genes and adopted the dance form as a child, under the guidance of Aswathy M Sreekanth, before making a switch to Kuchipudi.

The starlet then reminisces on summertime memories with her family (that is closely knit to the film industry), where they would all huddle up in front of the television to watch her aunt Revathy’s performances in Kilukkam and Devasuram. She insists on Devasuram being a token of love from her uncle and director Ranjith to the family, and being loosely based on the saga of her maternal grandparents.

The multi-faceted Niranjana steps into the shoes of some of the most iconic female characters in the Malayalam movie industry, to recreate the essence of nostalgia and take us through a trip down memory lane.

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