Nivetha Thomas: It would have been an injustice if I had rejected ’35’
“I was waiting for good job and when 35 came my way, I couldn’t let go. It would have been an injustice if I didn’t take it,” said actor Nivetha Thomas when met for an interview at Ramanaidu Studios in Hyderabad. Directed by Nanda Kishore Imani. 35 – Chinna Katha Kadu (Not a Short Story), releasing in theaters on September 6, is a family drama set in Tirupati.
Nivetha was last seen in a Telugu film Sakini Dakini (2022). In 2023, she acted in the Malayalam film Enthada SajjiIt marks his return to the language after nine years. The inevitable question is whether good films are rarer to come his way, across languages.
See Actor Nivetha Thomas spoke to The Hindu
Nivetha considers the question and says, “People think I am difficult to please, which is not true. I thoroughly enjoy listening to narration and reading scripts of various genres. There have been many instances when I have found interesting scripts but after some discussion, if I feel they have not lived up to their potential, I have backed out so they can go ahead with another actor. I want to work on five or six films every year but I want them to be different.”
Those who have followed Nivetha’s filmography know that she was eight when she made her debut as a child actor and worked in Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil films. She agrees that fame and spotlight are not the driving force behind her choices. An architect and an actor, he recalls that there were times when he thought being out of sight would translate to audiences not remembering his work enough.
“That thought crossed my mind,” he says, adding that he believes in a healthy work ethic and also tries to balance visibility on social media. “When I don’t have any movie updates, I don’t like to post pictures of me just drinking coffee… People don’t need to waste their time looking at me. But I understand that it needs some visibility as well. I want to make more films at a better pace.”
Popular recall
Nivetha’s Notable Telugu Movies: Gentleman, Ninnu Kori, 118, Vakil Sub, Brochevereverura, Sakini Dakini
Tamil: Papanasam, Durbar
Malayalam: Veruthe Oru Bharya, Thatthathin Marayathu, Enthada Sajji
When its promotion 35 Unveiled, Nivetha was blockedIncluding messages from well-wishers and social media posts. “People told me they were happy to see me in a new film. It moved me to tears. It also made me think that maybe I set my standards too high; Maybe I should take more pictures and learn by making some mistakes.”
Immediately after release brochevaruraThe response he received from those who liked the film made him realize that he is known as an actor who has made the right choice. “Many have told me that if they knew I was in a film, they would consider it worth watching. Such faith has made me more responsible and cautious; I wanted everything to be perfect. for Sakini DakiniI gave my 100% and it took me a while to move on when it didn’t get what it deserved.”
Asked if this is a transition phase, Nivetha agrees. “When I transitioned from a child actor to a leading lady, I didn’t think much of it. It all happened fast. I was enjoying work and studies.” He says that even today, he feels stardom and celebrity status as extra baggage. “I want to transition to a new stage so that I can find more interesting work.” After a pause, he adds. That he is open to making films to bankroll interesting scripts, but negotiating distribution and release will be challenging.
’35’ is set in the temple town of Tirupati. | Photo credit: Special Arrangements
In Nanda Kishore Imani, Nibetha could sense an honest storyteller. She plays Saraswati, a mother of two young children. “I never thought twice about the role of mother. It is a beautiful character of a woman who has not passed 10th standard and her world revolves around her family.
He was also impressed by the details of the screenplay. “The door handle of Saraswati’s house is shaped like a veena because she plays a musical instrument. The color of her saree, the lace, the length of her hair, how she keeps her distance while wearing stiller’s practices like ‘Madi’ saree, everything was in the script. We even discussed that she would ditch her ‘Madi’ custom and embrace her son in an emotional scene.
Nivetha insists 35 Does not get into a promotion zone; It reminds him of the sacrifices made by his mother, a practicing nurse. “When I started acting in class four, my mother quit her job to be by my side. He never complained. I didn’t know its value then.
35 Also Gautami brings back Nivetha with Tadhimela, later Papanasam (Its Tamil remake Drishimin which Nivetha played the role of Kamal Haasan and Gautami’s daughter). “A 35Gautami Mam is the representation of an urban woman. She and Saraswati’s conversations should reflect how the two women, based on their different world experiences, talk about aspects of self-esteem. This time, I had the privilege of further conversation with Gautami Ma’am, who is as gracious as ever. He never puts down a co-star who is less experienced than him. I also observed the little things he brought to his characterization. For example, he wore a heavy watch, himself, because he felt the character wouldn’t wear a typical thin watch that we associate with older women.”
Nivetha and the rest of the cast were trained in the Tirupati Telugu dialect 35. “We had tuition at 7 a.m.,” she recalls. “We had the help of Prashant who developed training modules and published a book. We learned phonetics and lexical language, understood how the Tirupati dialect differs from that of Chittoor and how people speak a mixture of Tamil, thanks to Uttaran Janata. Saraswati’s brother is a priest of the Tirupati temple. So all this affects the way he speaks. The audio was recorded in synch sound and it was important to speak the dialect easily.”
As a parting shot, says Nivetha 35 An entertaining film featuring more than 60 children and is bound to bring a smile to the faces of the audience. “Given an opportunity, I would knock on every door and request people to watch the film in theaters with their families. When you see something relatable and personal on the big screen, it can be magical.”
