Sherin’s filmy decision pays off

At an age when most girls would be busy with their home work, 11-year old Sherin Pillakkal directed her first school play and acted in it. The play won a prize. In fact, most of her waking hours would see her acting in front of the mirror. Hailing from a very conservative Muslim family in Malappuram, all this was done in secret without the knowledge of her parents.

She says, “I had only films in my mind and it was my ultimate goal. Education was not a priority as my mind was always filled with different characters and acting.” Speaking about her personal life, she says, “I was the eighth child in my family and my brother’s daughter studied with me in the same class. She used to call me Aunty which irritated me and I insisted that she call me by my name.”

Leaving a job in Dubai, Sherin moved to Kochi to pursue offers in films, a decision she took in spite of much opposition from her family. That paid dividends when she got selected through an audition for her debut Malayalam film Hi I am Tony in the role of Biju Menon’s wife. She will now be seen as the female lead in the Tamil film Kadikara Manithargal directed by Bala with Kishore and Karunakaran in the lead. The Tamil offer came her way after the makers saw her in her Mollywood debut. Though she is quite the fashionista in real life, she will be playing a college girl who is very naughty and wears simple clothes in the film.

Most actresses move to the greener pastures of Kollywood in search of fame and money but Sherin says, “These factors have never interested me! I entered films after a lot of struggle and what led me here is my total passion and commitment to the craft. It was the opportunity to act with senior actors and for the good script that I signed the Tamil film.” Though she states that she has not reached a stage where she can comment on the working styles of the different industries, she does mention, “The Kollywood industry is very respectful of its actors.” Malayalam film offers have been coming her way but she would rather wait for good roles. Sherin explains, “When I look back after 15 years, I should feel that I have been a part of a film worth remembering!”