Crossing Lines, Claiming Space: Malayalam Actors Who Are Redefining Tamil Cinema
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A new generation of Malayalam performers is stepping into Tamil cinema not as outsiders but as scene-stealers, redefining regional stardom, writes Neelima Menon. |
WHETHER IT IS Mammooty embodying Dr BR Ambedkar, slipping into the shoes of YS Rajasekhara Reddy in Yatra, or Mohanlal’s striking transformation as MGR in Iruvar and later as a Tamilian cop in Company, Malayalam actors have long been prized for their versatility across various industries. Today, the baton has passed to the next generation — Dulquer Salmaan, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Fahadh Faasil — who continue to make inroads into other cinematic landscapes with ease. But beyond the stars, it’s the newer legion of character actors from Malayalam cinema who are increasingly being sought after in Tamil. In this feature, we spotlight five breakout talents who are quietly redefining cross-industry appeal, one layered performance at a time . Stream the latest Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada releases, with OTTplay Premium's Power Play monthly pack, for only Rs 149 |
What makes Dayal in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie compelling is not just his brutality, but the deceptive ease with which he wears it. Very early in the film, we catch a glimpse of this chilling detachment when he casually strings up a man suspected of spying — a gesture executed so matter-of-factly that it unsettles more than a furious outburst ever could. It is in such moments that Dayal reveals himself as a villain who does not need noise or theatrics to announce his presence. Even when the tide turns against him, his composure rarely slips; if anything, adversity sharpens his cruelty, pushing him to calculate every move with unnerving clarity. Soubin Shahir sinks into the part from the instant he walks onto the screen. There’s menace in his silences, a grim determination in his body language, and yet, now and then, he punctuates his performance with an unexpected jig or a sliver of eccentricity that makes Dayal all the more unpredictable. In an otherwise haphazard narrative crowded with superstars, it is Soubin’s Dayal who oddly lingers in memory. ALSO READ | Soubin Shahir on Coolie: ‘When I came face-to-face with Rajinikanth…’ |
In Ram’s Parunthu Po, Grace Antony plays a young mother juggling a modest sari business and the relentless guilt of leaving her 8-year-old son alone during work hours. Her husband is also struggling to stay afloat, and together they’re trying to build a semblance of stability in a world that offers little comfort. Their son Anbu, a precocious and emotionally demanding child, becomes a lightning rod for their anxieties. And yet, instead of dramatics, the film gives us something gentler, more truthful: two parents trying, failing, and still showing up. What stands out most is the emotional honesty the couple brings to their parenting. Despite the child’s tantrums and unreasonable outbursts, they listen, they bend, they try to understand. This quiet resilience is anchored largely in Grace Antony’s graceful, unshowy performance. She never lets us see the actor behind the character — only a woman weathering the daily griefs of disapproval, exhaustion, and budget crunches. There’s a particularly affecting moment when Glory sees her estranged sister and nephew at a stall. She instinctively ducks under the table, eyes brimming with longing, only to crumble when her sister accuses her of ingratitude. Or the moment her son confesses that he prefers his friends’ parents to her, one can almost hear her heart crack beneath the weight of that sentence. Grace handles these emotional crests with remarkable restraint, relying on the subtlest of expressions — downcast eyes, a breath held too long, a hesitant glance — to reveal the inner tumult of a woman torn between duty and desire, guilt and love. Whether it’s stretching her limited budget, whispering worries to her husband, or silently grieving her son’s emotional distance, Grace catches the nuances with remarkable finesse. It’s a deeply affecting debut in Tamil, one that signals the arrival of a performer who can carry emotional weight with ease. |
One must concede that for an actor of Joju George’s formidable calibre — whose nuanced performances have shaped some of the most compelling characters in Malayalam cinema — the roles that have come his way in Tamil films so far have been surprisingly underwhelming. Despite featuring in high-profile projects backed by celebrated directors and stars, the characters offered to him haven’t quite tapped into the emotional depth or complexity he so effortlessly brings to the screen. A glimmer of what could have been visible in Karthik Subbaraj’s Jagame Thandhiram, where Joju played Sivadoss, a Sri Lankan Tamil don who facilitates immigration for marginalised communities. Despite limited screen time and being cast alongside a powerhouse performer like Dhanush, Joju’s quiet intensity stood out. The performance offered a rare emotional grounding to an otherwise flamboyant gangster universe, and proved that even in unfamiliar linguistic terrain, Joju could hold his own with remarkable ease. But in Subbaraj’s Retro, in which he played the gangster father Thilagan, the writing failed to rise above clichés. What might have been an eccentric and menacing figure was rendered flat and forgettable by confused characterisation. Similarly, in Mani Ratnam’s Thug Life, his Malayali thug Pathrose was disappointingly one-dimensional, offering little by way of character development or performance arc. ALSO READ | Joju George: 'Had to audition for my role in Dhanush's Jagame Thandhiram' |
There’s one performance that best captures the essence of Joju George’s artistry in the Tamil industry, and it is his role in the silent segment Mouname Paarvayaai from Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa. The story revolves around a middle-aged couple navigating years of unspoken hurt and emotional distance, and Joju delivers a masterclass in restraint and emotional depth without uttering a single word. Through subtle shifts in expression, the flicker of his eyes, the pause in his walk, or a fleeting glance, Joju conveys the ache of longing, regret, and quiet hope. |
In Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2, Periyar Ravi’s son Kannan’s arrogance is bolstered by the safety net of his gangster father, who has always been there to clean up after him. So, when the police begin circling a missing woman and child case, Kannan is rattled, but not enough to shed his swagger. He continues to throw his weight around, relying on the fear and obligation his father commands. His particular fixation, however, is Kaali (Vikram), his father’s most trusted former henchman. Every interaction with Kaali becomes an excuse for Kannan to needle and taunt, as though proving his dominance over Kaali might validate his own standing. In his Tamil debut, Suraj makes Kannan both repulsive and compelling. There is a simmering intensity beneath his arrogance — subtle in places, reckless and ruthless in others. It’s a performance that never drops the “mean” metre; every gesture, every glance reinforces the character’s entitled cruelty. Even the occasional rough edges of his accented Tamil slang do little to dilute the impact. If anything, they add a rawness to his presence, grounding the performance in a certain outsider energy. |
Though Swasika made her Tamil debut before gaining recognition in Malayalam cinema, it wasn’t until Lubber Pandhu (2024) that her presence in Tamil films truly began to resonate. The critical acclaim she received for her portrayal of Yasodha — a fiery, no-nonsense wife — marked a turning point in her cross-industry journey. Her introductory scene says it all: in an effort to stop her cricket-obsessed husband Gethu from playing, she drives a tractor right through the pitch. It’s an audacious move that establishes Yasodha as a woman who refuses to play second fiddle, no matter the odds. But then it’s in the gentle flickers of vulnerability that she truly shines. Take this tender moment, when Gethu bares his soul to her, as Yasodha’s tough exterior momentarily melts. The actor lets this crack in the armour feel unforced and genuine. It’s a lovely, layered performance that balances grit with grace and shows just how deeply she understands the emotional complexities of her characters. Interestingly, while Swasika’s potential has often remained underutilised in mainstream Malayalam cinema — where she’s frequently been slotted into peripheral roles — Tamil cinema appears to be slowly but surely recognising what she brings to the table. Even in the recent commercial hit Maaman, Swasika held her own with quiet dignity, essaying the role of a traditional Tamil woman caught in a web of familial conflicts. She brought gravitas to a character that could have easily been a caricature, proving that she can command attention even in crowded ensemble casts. |
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