One can never make it out from Samyuktha Menon’s voice that she accidently landed in movies. Her passion and love for cinema reflects in every comment she makes about her experiences so far in Mollywood. An unexpected entry to movies led her to take unplanned decisions which, according to the actor, made things a little confusing for her. At a point when she was battling with her thoughts on whether to go ahead in movies and how it would actually happen as she had many inhibitions regarding the same, opportunities like Lilli and Theevandi came her way. The only thing that she listened to was her mind, and therefore the process of preparing herself for those movies made her more and more inclined towards cinema. Ultimately, the acceptance and love that the actor received for both the films cemented her place as a talented actor in the Malayalam film industry. Despite being busy with the extensive promotions of her upcoming release Kalki, which will hit the theatres on August 8 and wherein she will be sharing screen space with her Theevandi co-star Tovino Thomas, Samyuktha readily approved to talk to us over the phone.
Giving a sneak peek into her next release, Samyuktha effusively talks about Kalki. “The movie is a mass entertainer. It’s a full-on action movie. I think a movie of this genre is getting released in Malayalam after a long time and audiences will have an adrenaline rush in most of the scenes. The concept behind the story has been seamlessly intertwined with its fast-paced portrayal. I would say that the infectious positivity, energy and commitment of the whole cast and crew of the movie reflect on the way promotion activities are being carried out and we are confident that our efforts will be paid off. I play an antagonist in the movie, Dr. Sangeetha, a character that is the first one of its kind in my career. I am an actor who gets influenced by the atmosphere on the sets to a certain extent and as far as Kalki is concerned, the positivity and passion of the makers of the movie automatically reflected in my work and I could happily get into the zone of rendering my level best.”
When asked about her way of conceiving a character, Samyuktha says that she is still in the process of learning from her mistakes. The hit-and-trial method is working in her favour as she finds out her flaws and works hard to overcome them.
She attributes it to the homework that she had done for Lilli, in which she played the role of a pregnant woman. “I had no idea as to how to behave in the manner a pregnant woman would do in a situation where Lilli is stuck in. Therefore, homework was a must and a lot of mental preparation as well. Even just before the shots, I used to be uncertain. But I guess when you genuinely want to do something and that too with utmost perfection, it reflects in the output also,” she adds, admitting that amount of involvement is a bit exhausting. “But I feel glad when my dedication and hard work pay off and as I get involved with the next movie, the energy is full on,” she laughs.
The actor, who grabbed the spotlight with the song Jeevamshamayi... from the movie Theevandi even before the movie’s release, has a lineup of films in different genres and says it is the divergent nature of films that increases her affinity towards the art each day. “Cinema is unpredictable. An actor can never expect what kind of roles will be presented to him/her and I think that the challenge of tackling that uncertainty is what keeps me going. People started recognising me after Jeevamshamayi released and the love increased after the movie released. The song actually gave me the much-needed visibility that worked wonders for me. It was unexpected,” she says, adding that she is excited about the kind of roles that are coming her way. She is getting the opportunity to chisel the actor in her and learn the craft from various directors who are different in many ways.
Samyuktha is an actor of substance, who very well knows what she is aiming at. Movie making and its various aspects fascinates her to the core. Speaking about the strength that she has within her that ultimately converted her fears and inhibitions into the I-am-not-going-to-give-up attitude, she says, “When I was confused about my career in Mollywood, my only thought was that I can never quit at this juncture because the audiences who had started to recognise me as an actor would only think that she entered the industry to become an actor, tried her luck, couldn’t succeed and thus left. They would never think that I was confused or I never dreamed of being in the industry. I could not let that happen. I decided to give my best shot and when the movies released, I understood that if dedication is genuine, the results too will be astonishing. And so I am still here, becoming a part of great movies and getting into the skin of a new character with each movie,” she concludes.
