Paradise star Darshana Rajendran – ‘Surprised to know actors were reluctant to play Amritha’ | Exclusive

Speaking about her upcoming movie Paradise and her role as Amritha in it, Darshana Rajendran is ecstatic. The young actress, occupied with multiple projects in diverse languages, is primarily acknowledged for her nuanced roles. Darshana discusses her future projects and why Amritha is special to her in an interview with OTTplay.

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In comparison to other roles you have played, how different was it to play Amritha in Paradise?

To begin with, I only take on projects that have a thrilling or difficult component. There were not many dialogues under Amritha's name when I was reading the script, but it was obvious that she was going through a lot. She spends most of her time alone, and we learn more about her from her quiet conversations with her partner and interactions with the natural world. She intrigued me overall, and I knew it would be difficult to portray her, which is what drew me in to this project.

The movie portrays your character as composed in the face of hardship. In what way do you respond in similar situations?

In times of crisis, I try to think things through and be patient while figuring out what to do. I maintain my composure because I live a controlled life. That undoubtedly permeates my characters. Amritha is generally a silent spectator of events, but her disagreements with certain things are obvious to viewers. You will see that she is putting up a fight and sort of working things out. It is an exciting journey for an actor. Given that this role did not have much to say, I am surprised that actors did not want to choose it. Playing such women is incredibly fascinating!

You constantly have these expectations from people that you will play strong female roles. Has it ever felt like you were being categorised?

I believe that the stereotype I have endured the longest is that I have always played traumatic characters who are in perpetual suffering for one reason or another. I usually have to swallow my pride and listen to some scripts. The amazing thing about this industry is that there are still directors who think it is okay to portray a college girl flipping her hair in slow motion while romancing a guy. Some people, meanwhile, think I am capable of taking someone's head off. I was offered roles that with mass appeal, after Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey.

With every new character, it keeps evolving, and I think I have ten distinct things I want to do. As a theatre actor, I believe I have portrayed a very mischievous, brat-like character that I have never played in a movie. Since it is the Malayalam film industry, I hope that one day we will be able to polish all of these versions of mine.

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You were also involved in a number of projects on digital space. To what extent has the OTT space been useful for you?

I came into the film industry from a different vertical- microfinance. Despite the fact that I have been working on small projects in the film industry for a while, these digital platforms allowed all of my friends who are non-Malayalis to view my work. When they talk about Malayalam cinema as a whole and get to see so many amazing productions from our industry, it makes me feel so proud. I have also had the opportunity to work with several well-known filmmakers from other languages.

Which actors or filmmakers would you most like to collaborate with?

I have a crazy list of people I would love to collaborate with! I would love to collaborate once more with all of the directors and actors that I have worked with. I count it a blessing that I get to work on projects with them or share a screen with them. I find it amazing that each item on my list is checked off when I commit to a project. I promise that I keep an ever-expanding list of names that I jot down.

During Aavesham, your mother Neeraja Rajendran said in an interview that she was always told not to get too excited by you and your sibling. Do you frequently offer her advice?

I continue to treat her like a little kid. Actors' messages and calls regarding my mother's actions on sets reach me. I exercise caution when explaining her to the intricacies of the field. However, she is ecstatic and passionate about everything. I always warn her about the potential setbacks with every project, but she never fails to surprise me. I am thrilled to see her develop as an artiste in new ways.

She has always been one to take delight in life's little pleasures. When someone recognises her or requests a picture with her, she is happy. I am more understated. She instilled in all of us the desire to celebrate life in every way that we can. Although my family and I approach films differently, it is interesting to see how each one of us are experimenting with acting. Our ability to celebrate things in distinctive ways is another one of our strengths.

What are your upcoming projects?

I have Aashiq Abu’s Rifle Club in Malayalam, Love Kaveri in Tamil and a Telugu project. Love Kaveri is based on a book written by Perumal Murugan. I play a part in Krishand’s Sambhavavivaranam Nalara Sangham, or The Chronicles of the 4.5 Gang, which will stream on SonyLIV. I enjoy being a part of Krishand's worlds because he's talented at creating them. Watching the magic occur in his creations is incredibly intriguing as well as fun.

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