Premalu star Shyam Mohan says THIS gesture was his improvisation for his character Aadhi in the rom-com drama | Exclusive

Premalu and its crew are celebrating the movie's success after it opened in theatres on February 9. In the midst of applauding Girish AD's direction and Naslen and Mamitha's endearing rapport, there is no shortage of praise for Shyam Mohan, who portrayed Aadhi in the romantic comedy.

Thanks to his roles in films like Heaven, Pathrosinte Padappukal, and 18+, Shyam has become popular among Malayalis, especially youngsters. Before entering the film business, he had the opportunity to hone his acting and content creation skills through his work on the YouTube channel Ponmutta.

Amidst Premalu's promotional activities, theatre visits, and back-to-back interviews, Shyam talks to OTTplay about how he got a chance in Girish's third directorial and the actor's next projects.

Also Read: Premalu director Girish AD explains why he prefers writing romantic dramas over other genres| Exclusive

What are your thoughts on the overwhelming reception that Premalu and Aadhi have received?

Now, everything seems surreal to me. I express my gratitude to the audience for their love and support for Aadhi and Premalu. Both I and my wife find it unbelievable. She has supported me since I was struggling. Even my slightest success has brought us great joy, so this is really noteworthy for us. We do not, however, want to become overly enthused by this success.
My dream has always been to act in films or be involved in them. Thus, landing a major role in this movie was the luckiest thing that could have happened to me.

What was it like to work with Girish AD?

At the time of Girish's first film, Thanneer Mathan Dinangal's theatrical release, I was working on a comedy series for the Ponmutta YouTube channel. His simple storytelling approach and easy-going humour really struck me. For Ponmutta, our group made an effort to use a similar narrative style.

Girish has therefore served as an inspiration in my career in one form or another. I had always wanted to work with him, so when I was given the chance to contribute to his work, I was ecstatic. My only hope was to get through the audition.

Regarding the auditions, were you requested to perform a specific scene of Aadhi?

Yes, during the audition, Girish had requested that I perform a brief scene of Aadhi. He provided me with a glimmer of the character, since I was obviously ignorant of it. I gave it my all on the platform. He was probably confident in my ability to perform this role. Generally speaking, Girish's writing elevates the character.

Have you ever encountered someone similar to Aadhi and used their characteristics as an inspiration for your performance?

When I first started out, I had spent five years working in Mumbai's corporate sector. My circumstances at the time were a lot like those of Sachin (played by Naslen) in Premalu. I had no understanding of how they talked, ate, walked, or anything else. However, it was all merely superficial, and things were a bit different in real life. I was thinking about all of those, and I think that helped me comprehend Aadhi a little better.

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Girish has a great ability to use humour when and where it is appropriate. Have you improvised anything yourself for Aadhi?

Yes, but I am unable to disclose most of them because they might give away spoilers to people who have not seen Premalu yet. One example is the hand gesture that Aadhi makes when he says "JK" (just kidding). That was something I observed a lot of people doing on social media and in interviews. Girish approved when I asked if I could do it.

Regarding this hand gesture, I was clueless about its exact purpose. I had even looked it up on Google to find out more about it. In general, humour functions best when it is spontaneous. Due to the performers' skill at delivering it just so, the film's impromptu humour has all worked out nicely.

Regarding your upcoming Tamil project with Sivakarthikeyan, what are your feelings?

I am so excited for the film, which is tentatively titled SK21, to debut in theatres. In this movie, I portray a brother of Sai Pallavi's character. My only question upon receiving the project's initial call was whether or not I would be working with the actor on a combination scene. I was thrilled when they mentioned there would be a few, and I was ecstatic to meet him on the set.

I had a great time observing his working style. Even though I feel more at ease working in Malayalam, if given the opportunity, I would be happy to work on projects in other languages.

What are your upcoming projects?

I have done a part in the Malayalam web series Madhuvidhu, which will be streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. Suraj Venjaramoodu suggested my name for this project. I am also acting in Unni Mukundan’s next film, Get Set Baby. People mostly approach me for serious roles. Hopefully, I get to play more comical roles due to the positive feedback that I am getting for Aadhi in Premalu.

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