Exclusive! Meena: I knew Prithviraj as a brilliant actor, with Bro Daddy I realised he’s a great director too

Mohanlal and Meena combination have worked wonders for Malayalam films in the past. Be it in theatres for movies such as Udayananu Thaaram or Varnapakittu or direct-to-OTT releases such as Jeethu Joseph’s Drishyam 2, the veteran duo has managed to strike a chemistry that has evolved with years. Their latest outing, Bro Daddy that is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, is no different.

The duo plays a couple in the Prithviraj Sukumaran directorial, which is a feel-good entertainer – different from their previous collaborations. In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, Meena talks about working in the film with Mohanlal and Prithviraj, why she wants to be more selective henceforth and more.

Both you and Mohanlal have starred in over 10 films – from Varnapakittu and Udayananu Thaaram to Drishyam and now Bro Daddy. What do you think has worked in terms of keeping your character dynamics fresh each time you team up?

I really have no clue but I think over the years, we got refined as actors, co-stars and friends. It’s like old wine.

Last year, Drishyam 2 had a lot of layers for your character Ranimol, who goes through intense spells of anxiety. Were you expecting that once the sequel was greenlit?

Initially, I was thrilled when I heard that they were going to do Drishyam 2. But there was a thing nagging me, in the back of my mind, whether my character will have anything much to do in the sequel. If your role isn’t all the great, you can’t really sustain the excitement of being part of such a movie. That was my biggest worry, but when Jeethu narrated the script, I was overjoyed. It was layered and a smart script. Doing a sequel of such a movie itself is a task, but to pull it off convincingly was a huge challenge and Jeethu rose to the occasion. I personally was thrilled that my character was better developed in Drishyam 2 than the original one. As an actor, that is what I look forward to.

Over the past few years, you have been part of superstar-driven movies such as Mammootty’s Shylock, Rajinikanth’s Annaatthe and Mohanlal’s movies. However, superstar films often don’t have enough space for the female protagonists and does that bother you? Also, how do you go about picking roles now?

Being in the industry for such a long time, I have a lot of friends in the film industry. At certain times, when friends ask you to be part of a film, it’s difficult to say ‘no’. As an artiste, I want to do great characters that would take me to the next level or make an impact in the audience’s minds. But I can’t be an actor all the time. I am also a person and a friend. So, sometimes, I do guest appearances.

However, I do realise that it has an impact. A lot of times, the audience and my well-wishers, when they don’t see me in meaty roles, they do get discouraged. A lot of people have asked me why I had chosen particular roles. Is it because I don’t get roles? It isn’t because of that. But all these questions have made me think twice before I accept a role. I know that I have to really take a call and start saying ‘no’ every now and then. The audiences only watch my characters and they have no idea why I chose that role. I understand that I have to be responsible and careful about my characters.

How was it working on a comedy entertainer like Bro Daddy, which is completely different from the thriller, Drishyam 2?

For quite some time, everyone was doing serious and grim movies. This applies to Lal sir, myself and Prithvi too. So, we just wanted to do something hilarious and glossy that would make everyone laugh. This is what Prithvi told me too when he spoke to me about Bro Daddy. In fact, I too thought it was the right time to do such a movie. During these grim times, even the audience needs such films.

You have worked with directors such as IV Sasi and Sibi Malayil in Malayalam. How would you rate Prithviraj as a filmmaker?

It was an interesting and exciting experience. I have only known him as a great actor, but I came to know that he was a brilliant director too. He had great focus and was sure about what he wanted. Also, shooting the movie was fun; I was laughing all the time.

Shooting a breezy comedy during the pandemic must have had its advantages.

Yes, but we shot Drishyam 2 too during the pandemic. Actors are the only people who can’t wear a mask while doing their job. I was scared to come out in the open to work. But because I had already worked with the same production team for Drishyam 2, I knew how serious they were about the precautions and safety of the team. For Bro Daddy too, they took good care of us and I have no problem working in the movie. Also, my character was part of light-hearted sequences and the entire set was jovial; so it was a different experience shooting for Bro Daddy.

Bro Daddy movie review: Mohanlal, Prithviraj Sukumaran's glossy comedy-drama works purely because of its cast