From Chic to Mommy: Aparna Gopinath

All those who marvelled at the Bohemian chic look of Aparna Gopinath in ABCD will be dumbfounded when you see her playing the role of a 34-year- old mother role in School Bus. The change is too apparent. The bold and audacious Aparna Gopinath has skilfully set herself into the role of Aparna, a normal wife, wedded to Joseph, enacted by Jayasurya.

The actress, who wooed the audience through plays, seemed elated over her new release — Rosshan Andrrews-Bobby Sanjay combo's School Bus. “It was a phenomenal opportunity to work with Rosshan and I grabbed it when I had the chance,” she said gleefully.

School Bus explores the drawbacks of modern education system and how employed and busy parents forget to spend quality time with their kids. “The film was on a theme very different from the ones that I had done before. It is about bringing up children and taking care of them. It needed careful attention,” she reflects on her character.

Working with Rosshan Andrrews was extremely challenging, Aparna recollects. “He is very particular about what he needs from the actors. As an actor, one has to give their best shot to match his expectations and thoughts.”

The movie introduces child artistes Aakash Muraleedharan and Angelleena Rosshan in significant roles. Akash is the son of noted cinematographer C. K. Muralidheeran and Angelina is the daughter of the director himself. The set was fully alive with the pranks and jokes of Jayasurya and Kunchacko Boban.

“It is my second movie with Jayasoorya. It was fun working with Jayasurya and Kunchacko. The two are very good friends. They didn't make feel like an outsider at all. Whenever something funny happened, they made sure that I was part of the joke too. Jayasurya is the sweetest actor I have met,” she says.

The actress was overcome with nostalgia on the sets. “The title itself reveals the theme of the movie. Everybody has a pining for the past. We have forgotten to be children. I was reminded of my good old school days while working in the movie. I too used to go to school by school bus. The movie is appealing to every age group,” she says.

For Aparna, her mother has always been her pillar of strength, but she didn’t consult with her on playing the role. “I was a disobedient child at home. I had created enough and more troubles for my mother,” she laughs.