PremiumMaranamass’ Basil Joseph: I want my filmography as an actor to be a mixed bag to be able to grow
Maranamass’ Basil Joseph says that when filmmakers realize that he's open to experimenting with roles, they will approach him with varied stories and characters
Last Updated: 03.53 PM, Apr 12, 2025
Filmmaker-actor Basil Joseph, who was seen in serious roles in PonMan, Pravinkoodu Shappu , is back in theatres for Vishu 2025, with a dark comedy film, Maranamass, which released on April 10. As an actor, Basil’s focus has been on not repeating himself onscreen, presenting a different avatar with each role. This kind of variety in terms of the films and the roles he gets to play is what excites Basil about being an actor, he said at a press conference following the release of Maranamass.
Basil Joseph on the importance of mixing it up as an actor
“I want to explore this space a lot more; there should be films like PonMan, and there should be ones like Maranamass too. There should be films that don’t fit into either of these genres as well. It’s only when you have such a mixed bag that it excites you as an actor and allows you to grow; else it will become monotonous after a point. If you keep doing the same thing over and over again, you, as an artiste will get bored, as well as the viewing audience. To the best of my capability, I am trying to mix it up when it comes to the roles I do,” he said.
Basil adds that when filmmakers see the variety in his filmography, it gives them the confidence to approach him for varied roles. “For instance, a film like PonMan now tells film teams that I am capable of doing a certain kind of role; else, I would only be doing films like Guruvayurambala Nadayil, Maranamass, etc. it’s only when I, as an actor, show the willingness to explore different roles that filmmakers also reciprocate,” says Basil, highlighting the importance of stepping outside of one’s comfort zone to have personal growth.
The actor-filmmaker cited the case of his Maranamass co-star Suresh Krishna, who was typecast for the longest time in certain villain roles, and has now begun experimenting with more variety.