It was in 2013 that assistant director Soubin Shahir came in front of a movie camera in prominent role, that too with Rajeev Ravi-directed Annayum Rasoolum. Later, he became one of the busiest actors in M’town, thanks to his natural behaviour doing comic roles. But it was all of a sudden that he took a break and went behind the camera to wield the megaphone for his debut directorial venture Parava.
Three days ago, through his Facebook page, he announced that he has completed the shoot of Parava. “Some friends were asking about the project and they were enquiring whether I am still behind this film. That’s why when I completed the shoot, I shared the photo of my whole crew from the pack up day,” says the actor-turned-director, who is moving to the post-production of the film.
So was it because of his directorial that Soubin took a gap from acting? “Yes, I had avoided around 25 films, because those films where charted to shoot during the production of Parava. Before starting the shoot, I had acted in Amal (Neerad) ettan’s Comrade in America (CIA),” says Soubin, who has earlier assisted Amal.
“I was one of the assistant directors for his Anwar and Kullante Bharya (a segment from the anthology movie Anchu Sundarikal) and worked in the camera department of Aami (another segment in Anchu Sundarikal) for which he cranked the camera. Along with that, I had worked in his Iyyobinte Pusthakam. Though I had acted in Iyyob and Kullante Bharya, it is for the first time that I get a chance to essay a prominent role in his film. In CIA, I act as Dulquer’s friend from his locality,” he says.
Soubin is noted for enacting roles with Kochi slang. But in CIA, he acts as a Kottayam native. So will Soubin speak in Kottayam slang? “I have tried to do so. But my character used to visit Ernakulam frequently, so naturally, he uses that style too,” he laughs.
In his directorial also, he is teaming up with Dulquer. Quizzed about DQ’s role in the film, he says, “He acts as a local lad from Mattanchery. That is all I can reveal. It was just because of our friendship that he came to act in this film, which narrates the life of a group of kids.”
Soubin affirms that he will definitely come back to screen soon and discussions are on for his new acting ventures.
