Ready to wait for good films

Shalin Zoya doesn’t need any introduction. She became a familiar face after acting in a couple of TV serials and anchoring a few TV shows, which in turn helped her in shaping up a career in Mollywood at a very young age.. The pretty actor debuted as a child artist in Lal Jose directorial Elsamma Enna Aankutty. Like every young actor, Shalin too has many plans in terms of her career in cinema. However, she is not desperate and likes being unconventional. Though offered many roles in Malayalam as well as Tamil movies, Shalin opted to do quality movies only.

Being a part of only five or six movies in a span of eight years is a testimony to the same. She will be next seen in Ranjith’s Mohanlal starrer Drama. Shalin, however, has no qualms about her career. On the other hand, the 21-year-old actor is content and confidently says that things are turning up exactly the way she wants them to be. 

“Though it is typical for any actor to say this, I am very much serious about cinema and when I say this I am referring to the medium at large and not just the acting part. Cinema to me is about making contents that will be etched in the minds of the audience and this is the sole reason why I become choosy, when it comes to taking up multiple projects at a time. Irrespective of the language, I only opt for those projects that make sense to me,” says Shalin, adding that she loves direction and is working hard on a script that she would like to make into a feature film. The actor has also directed three short films, which according to her helped her understand the complexities of directing a project. Shalin was last seen in Vishudhan.  Talking about her role in Drama, she says that she was roped in for Oru Billathi Kadha, which did not happen and later the project was rehashed and named Drama. 

“I became a part of Drama, primarily for its wonderful cast and the director. I had the opportunity to work with a few of the veterans of Mollywood. It was a great experience to work with Mohanlal and to be directed by Ranjith. Simultaneously I worked in a parallel movie, Porattam, which was an entirely different experience. The movie was made with a meager budget of Rs 25,000 and every person associated with it is a newcomer. My character is different from what I have done so far which persuaded me to go for it,” adds Shalin, who admits that her immense love for travel was another reason why she decided to be a part of Drama. 

“Drama was shot in London and the travel freak in me got a chance to explore a new country. I used to wander on the streets every time I was not shooting. It was a great experience in terms of exploring the culture. It was a paid vacation for the traveller in me,” she giggles.

Asked about the changes that Malayalam film industry has undergone, the actor who has been in the industry for the past 17 years is of the opinion that complexity of acting in terms of timing and improvisations has changed. The digital era has made things more relaxed wherein editing table has a major role in shaping up the charm of a movie, she says. She has two projects in Kollywood and an upcoming Malayalam film as well.