I'm a go-getter: Nyla Usha

Eight movies, including two cameos and a photo mention, Nyla Usha’s film trajectory from 2013 to 2018 is a sign that the svelte actor was not in the rat race chasing movies and fame. The Punyalan Agarbattis girl never ran short of opportunities, but she became choosy. All she wanted, while deciding to give Effymol in the just-released Diwanjimoola Grand Prix a try, was to make people talk good about what she does.

“I am hearing lot many stories. If a director, who understands that I can act, comes calling, I’d sign up. Offers are there from Tamil, but I haven’t taken up any,” she is clear.

Being a full-time employee at a government-supported radio station comes at a price. The otherwise busy RJ in the Middle East gets measured holidays that are majorly spent for films.

“There hasn’t been a single holiday in my life. I am either shooting here or working in Dubai.” Nyla stayed for about two months away from work for her latest movie. “We shot amidst Thrissur Pooram and conducted a professional Grand Prix. I stayed on and off from work. A real race was conducted to match up with international standards. A track was set in Kochi and we waited for the rains to subside,” she says.

Even when she has her choices, there was no second thought about Diwanjimoola. “When a film I have acted in becomes a hit, I want my character to be liked too. I was waiting for a movie as such when Anil Radhakrishnan Menon, a director of excellence and talent, came up to me with this kind of a role and subject,” she gushes.

As the movie came for discussion towards the end of 2016, Nyla got attracted by just one factor — the director. “A hit or not, his films and filmmaking style bears certain quality. When shown in television after a year, it feels good,” she observes.

While saying yes to the project, Nyla only knew that she’d be Effy, a local ward representative, the go-to girl in the region; nothing more. “I knew this character but the script or what she is about was not revealed to any of us. It was all surprise. He did not want me to prepare for anything. I just needed to come with a fresh mind and adapt,” she says.

Effy is part Nyla, the go-getter, energetic type. “I am a real-life go-getter, swift and ‘not-so-lazy’ type. Effy comes from lots of struggles on her personal front, with the same dedication of managing her own life, she intervenes and help people get out of their problems,” she says.

But the character demanded her to fit it all into the skin of a girl-next-door. “To look shabby is so easy. I don’t think any actor or anybody in the world looks beautiful when we wake up. Getting sophisticated is the least thing that you can do. You get into a kurta-pyjama and put some make-up, that’s it. This required no touch-up. It never mattered if it was rain or shine. Even when you sweat it out, the character won’t fade. It was easy for Kerala climate,” she laughs.

The biggest sophistication, Nyla had to have been certain know-how to ride a scooter. “That was the biggest preparation I had to do. I learned, rode, feared that I’d fall and fell. Watching the making video I couldn’t stop laughing seeing myself doing all that.” 

Another was lending the Thrissur dialect for the character. A Thiruvananthapuram native who speaks a neutral Malayalam dialect had a testing time at the dubbing station.

On the sets, Nyla had many moments of amazement. From Siddique’s wheel-chair bound acting to her fitness-freak co-actors Rajeev Pillai and Rahul, she was bowled over by everyone on the sets. 

“Siddique acted as my father and I was wondering how he enacts the role so well with just his face. Rahul would swim and gym even when we wrap up late. If there’s no gym at the hotel, Rajeev would do floor exercise and stick to healthy eating. I have huge respect for people who keep up good health without fail. Lifestyle maintenance is important in Dubai and when I am back, I’d take it up seriously,” determination throbs in her words.