Malayalam star Kunchacko Boban lauds UAE boy Izin who debuts with him in ‘Nizhal’

Dubai: Malayalam actor Kunchacko Boban is all praise for UAE schoolboy Izin Hash who made his debut with him and South Indian star Nayanthara in the mystery thriller ‘Nizhal’ that released this month in UAE cinemas.

Having moved out of his typecast romantic roles in recent years, Kunchacko plays John Baby, a judicial magistrate in a Batman-like mask. The film also marks the directorial debut of award-winning editor Appu N. Bhattathiri and is the first on-screen collaboration of Kunchacko and Nayanthara.

Eight-year-old Izin, who is famous for being the Keralite boy who plays an Emirati in UAE commercials, took on the role of Nayanthara’s son Nithin in the film. Indian media has already showered their appreciation for the “lovely performance” by Izin.

Speaking to Gulf News about the little star from the UAE, Kunchacko said: “Izin is a big plus for the movie. It is a murder story shared by a grade two student. It is a story from his perspective.”

“I’m a judicial magistrate investigating the case. John Baby has to find out if there is any truth in the story that he [Nithin] shared [in his class],” he said, sharing the plot of the investigative drama which got released a day after the premiere of ‘Nayattu’, a survival thriller starring Kunchacko as a police officer.

Excellent performance

Since the story of ‘Nizhal’ hinges on the child, Kunchacko said it demanded a child actor who is instantly lovable.

“The character also demands excellent performance,” he pointed out. “Izin has done a lot of ads in the UAE and other Gulf countries. He already has a lot of acceptance and a big fan base. Because of that, he was not scared to face the camera. He was very jovial and bubbly. He has gelled well with the character and we can easily identify him with the character. That has helped out the movie in a big way.”

He said Izin himself doing the dubbing for his character was also an added advantage. “It gave a natural and realistic feel for the sequences involving him.”

The 44-year-old star, who has acted in close to 100 movies in over two decades said the debut child artiste was very comfortable to work with him and Nayanthara.

“Izin was not scared when acting with such a big star like Nayanthara. It was very comfortable to work with him. He understands stuff fast. He was ready to put in the effort needed for the challenging sequences. He also enjoyed the role and the aspects of film making. His role is very interesting and intriguing. People will quickly take him into their hearts,” said Kunchacko.

Fun and fights

A grade three student of Habitat School in Ajman, Izin said he enjoyed having a great time with Kunchacko during the shoot.

“We had a lot of fun and some fights. He used to chase me, making me run. Once I went back and punched him in his tummy,” he recollected.

Izin was obviously the centre of attraction on the day of the movie’s release in the UAE. He attended a special screening arranged by a Malayalam radio channel and has been featured in various media. His school also hosted a special screening of the movie.

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'Nizhal' is currently playing in UAE cinemas