Alphonse Puthran’s Malayalam film Premam was the highest grosser of 2015. This gently comic love story about the boy next door and his failures in love connected well with young and old alike and found success outside the Kerala, too, especially in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where it ran for more than 200 days in a Chennai multiplex.
Premam’s three heroines, all newcomers, revealed immense potential with their splendid performances matching pace with Nivin Pauly. Sai Pallavi as Malar became a star overnight with her fresh look — pimples and all — while Anupama Parameswaran made viewers sit up and notice Mary, and Madonna Sebastian’s quiet yet elegant demeanour as Celine lingered. Today, the three actresses have made a foray into the Telugu and Tamil industries, thanks to the Premam effect.
Premam’s Telugu remake, also titled Premam, hits screens on Thursday in the UAE and is directed by Chandoo Mondeti. Naga Chaitanya takes on Pauly’s role from the original.
Pallavi’s role is being reprised by Shruti Haasan; Parameswaran and Sebastian reprise their roles from the original Malayalam film.
For Parameswaran, this is her second Telugu film, the first being A aa.
While a few changes have been made in the Telugu version to suit the local culture, her role of Mary is the same.
“Playing Mary in the original ... came naturally. It’s the same in Telugu and despite the language barrier, the shooting was like a picnic outing. Director Chandoo is a calm guy and Naga Chaitanya a down-to-earth person.”
Parameswaran is working on her third Telugu film, Shantamanam Bhavati, directed by Satish Vegesna and starring Sharwanand. Her debut Tamil film Kodi is ready and slated for a Diwali release.
In Kodi, she plays a bold village girl and is paired opposite Dhanush. The cherry on her cake is Sathyan Anthikad’s next film, Jomonte Suvisheshangal, with Dulquer Salmaan.
The college student from Kottayam couldn’t be happier.
Now for the question on every film lover’s minds.
Will the Telugu Premam live up to the original?
