Christmas treat: Nivin Pauly’s Sarvam Maaya wins hearts at theatres
Festive horror-comedy becomes a reset for Nivin Pauly after a challenging year
When Sarvam Maaya arrived in theatres this Christmas, the reaction was immediate — and emotional. Audiences weren’t just watching a festive horror-comedy; they were greeting someone they thought they had lost.
“The old Nivin Pauly is back,” became the most common refrain.
And Nivin, just fresh off a Christmas feast in Dubai with his family, speaking to Gulf News, knew exactly what that meant.
“Whenever we do a movie, that is what we expect — to get unanimous positive reports saying that they love the movie. That is something really great, especially since it released on Christmas. The joy’s even bigger,” he said.
After a year weighed down by controversies, public scrutiny and professional uncertainty, Sarvam Maaya — directed by Akhil — became something far more powerful than a box-office success. It became a reset.
“I was a little stressed about it coming out around Christmas time. It is a very busy period, with Christmas around, and usually it is the time we take breaks. But this time, we managed somehow, and when we get good results, everything feels worth it.”
The stress paid off. Because Sarvam Maaya didn’t try to reinvent Nivin — it returned him to what audiences loved him for in the first place.
In an era obsessed with reels, viral moments and marketing gimmicks, Nivin went the opposite way.
“I am somebody who believes that we should always work on cinema backwards. We should work from the script instead of planning everything after the release. If the pre-planning is good, then everything falls into place and we do not really have to worry.”
That philosophy shaped Sarvam Maaya.
“So I always work from the script side. That is how we worked on this movie. Akhil wrote the script in great detail, with the intention of having the audience love the movie, and he kept that in mind while designing it. Because the backend work was done very thoroughly, we are very relaxed right now.”
The calm wasn’t accidental. It was built.
The film’s genre — horror-comedy — is notoriously difficult. Lean too scary and you lose laughs. Lean too silly and you kill suspense. But Nivin and director Akhil made one radical decision: remove fear.
“Actually, I am somebody who is really scared of horror films, so I do not watch them that often, and even Akhil is the same. But we went in with the idea that let us make a horror film that we can both enjoy and watch.”
Instead of ghosts in white sarees, red eyes and fog machines, they went human.
“We are very familiar with the idea of ghosts in white sarees, red eyes, hair in front of the face. That is what a ghost meant to us earlier. Now let us replace that with a human-like ghost.”
The result was a creative gamble that paid off.
“We had a lot of creative freedom… to present the ghost like a normal human being sitting in front of you, but she is a ghost. I feel like that worked really well for us. There was not a lot of mist or loud background music. Instead, we decided to make it a clean, comedic entry, where she is just sitting there and saying hello.”
Which is exactly why audiences connected.
“They will love the ghost. It is like a Casper-friendly ghost.”
Nivin always knew the timing mattered.
“During festive seasons, people are very happy and they want to spend time with family and friends. There are gatherings, colors, food, and celebrations. People want to be in that zone, and this film fits perfectly there.”
Sarvam Maaya didn’t just arrive on Christmas — it matched the mood.
And then there was Aju Varghese — Nivin’s real-life best friend and his onscreen rhythm section.
“Every time I am making a movie and if I ever have to cast a friend, Aju is the first person who comes to mind, especially if it is humor.”
Their chemistry isn’t rehearsed.
“We have such good rapport, and we improvise a lot with each other. I understand him and he understands me. We know when to pause between dialogues.”
That comfort is born from history.
“We studied together, our families are close… We have been together since 1995, so it has been a long journey.”
Long before superstardom, Nivin knew one truth about the industry: it is brutal.
“It was not easy. There were several ups and downs. But I always told myself that whatever happens, I would never quit.”
That stubbornness carried him through failures.
“When a film does not do well, you feel low and you feel like quitting. But I kept telling myself that one day things would change.”
And he learned early that success is fragile.
“From my first film itself, I learned that one Friday decides everything.”
Does that pressure scare him?
“They are chill. That stress is a thrill.”
Now that Sarvam Maaya is a hit, is Nivin relieved?
“We are very happy that this movie has done well, but that does not mean the next one will also be good. It is never easy. Every Friday, we have to cross that mark again.”
Still, something has shifted.
“From my side, I want to do more entertainment and humor films. I have done enough experiments. Now I just want to be happy. Let us all be happy.”
Awards or applause?
“Blockbusters. A blockbuster means people are happy and they are coming to theatres. I just want to see the audience happy.”
After a turbulent year, Nivin is drawing clear boundaries.
“To make decisions that make me happy and at peace. As simple as that.”
Even when it comes to roles.
“I am not completely open to everything… There is a thin line, and I am not comfortable crossing it. I always make that clear. If it feels like too much, I let them know because I need to resonate with the character.”
Sarvam Maaya didn’t scream “reinvention.” It whispered something better: familiarity.
“When this movie came out, a lot of people said it was nice to see the Nivin they are familiar with. That is what they want, and I want to deliver that.”
And that, perhaps, is the real comeback — not a brand new Nivin Pauly, but a version of him audiences never wanted to lose.
As he put it simply: “Let us all be happy.”
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