PremiumOh Meri Laila actress Sona Olickal: Playing double role was both interesting and challenging for me | Exclusive
Actress Sona Olickal reveals what prompted her to take up the roles in Antony Varghese’s campus romcom
Last Updated: 06.24 AM, Dec 29, 2022
While debutant director Abhishek KS’ Oh Meri Laila revealed another side of Antony Varghese, it could be argued that the film also unearthed a talented performer in actress Sona Olickal, who played a double role in the campus romcom.
For Sona, who made her debut earlier this year with Shane Nigam’s Veyil, picking Oh Meri Laila was an obvious choice considering that it allowed a relative newcomer like her to showcase her range as an actress.
On the reason she decided to do the film, Sona, who is based in Australia, tells OTTplay in an exclusive chat: “It was the double role and also, I am a big fan of Antony Varghese. I like the realistic dramas that he has been part of. Oh Meri Laila belongs to a different genre but I really wanted to work with him. When we got to read the script, all of us really enjoyed it.”
Ask her which character she found difficult to play in the movie, and she says, “During pre-production, we thought Clara would be the easier role because Mary is a bubbly personality and you have to find a perfect balance with her. But when I was playing those characters, it was easier for me to play Mary than Clara.”
Her debut film Veyil had her in a more rooted character that reflected the film’s genre. How did she find the transition to vibrant characters in her sophomore venture? “Veyil was a rooted and realistic film, compared to this movie, which is loud and colourful. And I am bubbly in real life and so it was easier. But it was still hard doing double roles because both the characters couldn’t be too similar,” says Sona, whose family is based in Mulanthuruty, Ernakulam.
Her character Mary’s action scene during the interval portion of the film also serves to add zest to the proceedings. “I enjoyed the action scenes. It was fun and new; I had a few bruises but it was worth it,” the actress says.
However, working with a relatively younger crew for Oh Meri Laila had its advantages, she admits. “It felt like going to college. We all would meet in the morning, go for breakfast together, work and then, finish and leave together. It was a very young crew and that was nice, because we all could relate to each other,” she says.
Considering that she is based in Australia, ask her how challenging it is to shuttle back and forth to do films. “It is tough. Earlier, I was completing my Masters and that was the reason I was rushing back. I have completed my course this year. So, I don’t have to rush as much. But I want to be selective and do really good films,” says the actress, adding that she is in talks with several films but hasn't signed anything yet.