PremiumParadise star Roshan Mathews – ‘Conveying the subtleties of Kesav was a challenge’ | Exclusive
In an interview with OTTplay, Roshan discusses how difficult it is to comprehend Kesav in Paradise and how Malayalam's recent success has benefited both actors and filmmakers.
Last Updated: 08.30 AM, Jun 27, 2024
Roshan Mathews is juggling with a number of projects in multiple languages. On June 28, the young star's highly acclaimed film, Paradise, is scheduled to premiere on big screen. The multilingual film revolves around a couple negotiating the complexities of life amidst Sri Lanka's complex economic crisis.
In an interview with OTTplay, Roshan discusses how difficult it is to comprehend Kesav in Paradise and how Malayalam's recent success has benefited both actors and filmmakers.
Was it challenging to work in a location like Sri Lanka, which you are not too familiar with, in Paradise?
I find every project to be difficult. Not knowing the terrain was not difficult in this project. Our two characters are naive in the sense that they have no prior knowledge of Sri Lanka and have chosen to travel here solely because the Indian rupee is worth more there. The real challenge, in my opinion, was to be able to convey the subtleties that Prasanna sir was seeking in this relationship. The audience can easily identify with both the characters and their relationship. I was concentrating on improving my performance and saw every scene as a chance to do so.
Most of the time, we believe that we are not this or that, but all of our true feelings come out during a true crisis. A complete crisis is uncommon in life, so I set out to figure out how our main character would respond when he was experiencing such chaos. All I needed to do was work that out and give it my all.
To what extent did you find Kesav in Paradise to be personally relatable?
It must, without a doubt, be relatable to me. His and Amrutha's relationship dynamics are certainly comprehensible. These two characters are easily relatable to anyone who has been in a relationship for a considerable amount of time. In general, I would not be able to portray Kesav as paying attention to small details until or unless I am able to connect with him. Our producer called me after the film's recent NYIFF screening to tell me that, at certain points, people were laughing at small gestures. These trivial actions cannot be portrayed unless we can identify with this character.
What, in your opinion, is the one aspect of Paradise that would draw viewers to the theatres?
It is undoubtedly a special movie. This is a story that should be seen and celebrated on the big screen, even though we do say this about every movie and it has become meaningless due to overuse. Malayalam has had an amazing winning streak this year with an extensive range of works. While films like Turbo are doing well, movies that are also receiving the recognition they deserve include Ullozhukku, Gaganachari, and All We Imagine As Light.
For movie buffs, seeing so many diverse things come to life on a large screen is almost like a binnale. Seeing people accept and enjoy all genres of films is fascinating. The fact that established producers like RSVP and Newton Cinemas are supporting some of these projects is another thrilling aspect. It is a boon to the industry and the artists who work there. Additionally, the collaboration of Indian actors and producers on a Sri Lankan project and a Prasanna sir film represents a significant achievement for that industry as well.
You have been involved in several OTT projects. Do you think Malayalam is still not given enough room on digital platforms?
There is always more that we can provide, but the question is whether these OTT platforms are willing to work on it. For them, it's all business in the end. It seems like a really promising industry. Being a part of the industry at the right time, with so many opportunities and talented people, is something I consider a blessing. Isn't it wonderful that all of our Malayalam films have English subtitles available to the global audience?
Do you have a particular actor or director in mind to collaborate with?
I had said in my first interview that there are dream collaborators rather than dream projects. I have a list, and I mentioned a few directors later in an interview, but I never had the opportunity to collaborate with them. I therefore made the decision to never again disclose this list.
Which projects do you have coming up?
Ulajh is the name of my upcoming Hindi movie, and I also worked on a Hindi web series. Ithiri Neram, another special Malayalam film, is scheduled to release on theatres by the end of the year. This year, there is also a Tamil web series.