Maranamass actor Basil Joseph on balancing acting and direction: It’s difficult now because…

It’s been more than 3 years since Basil Joseph worked behind the camera. The Minnal Murali filmmaker’s profile as an actor has been on the upswing in the interim, with at least 16 films to his credit, including both lead and supporting character roles. His next, which is his third for the year, Maranamass releases in theatres on April 10, and during the promotions of the film, the actor-filmmaker was asked about balancing life as an actor and director. He has been quoted as saying that he will soon take a break from acting gigs to focus on making films again.

Basil Joseph on his growing brand as an actor

“Now that my profile as an actor is bigger, makes it difficult to balance acting and directing. Earlier it was more direction than acting; in fact, acting was a part-time stint. But with the acting picking up and the movies getting noticed, it is very difficult to manage both, to be frank. That is when I begin to think that I need to get back to learning the process, which can happen only as a director, when you have the kind of routines and timelines under your control. With all the responsibility as an actor, I don’t find the creative space and time for direction,” he said on the Nona Prince podcast.

Also read: Basil Joseph films to binge-watch on OTT that showcase his versatility as an actor 

Basil adds that the kind of films that he aspires to make as a director are very ambitious and big in terms of scale and plot, which need quite a lot of time in terms of writing and planning, among other things. Given that he is reportedly working towards directing either Mohanlal or Mammootty, Basil says that the schedules of the actors he’s got in mind are not in his control. He reckons that he needs to adjust his timelines as an actor to be able to balance both. “I think there should be a break between the two - when you act you cannot direct and vice versa,” he says.

Having said that, Basil adds that after the success of films like PonMan, he’s been getting offers from big filmmakers for acting jobs, forcing him to make difficult decisions in figuring out his priorities. “I’ve had to make harsh choices, but thankfully, both direction and acting are at a good space,” he adds.

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