Anil and Manju, avid film buffs from Wayanad, realised their dream when their three-year-old daughter, Esther acted in her first film, Nallavan (Malayalam). Esther’s next was playing Mohan Lal’s daughter in Oru Naal Varum. Yet, nothing prepared this couple for their daughter’s Tamil debut and to sharing screen space with another legend, Kamal Haasan.
“Papanasam went beyond their dreams,” said Esther, who was in Chennai.
The class nine student, who played George Kutty’s youngest daughter in Drishyam, the Malayalam blockbuster, won the sympathy of viewers with her natural performance.
Remember the scene where Anu asks George Kutty after police interrogation, “Did I not do the right thing?” Esther perfectly conveyed the innocence and vulnerability of Anu.
She played the same character in Telugu remake with another star, Venkatesh.
“When I got to do Drishyam, I was happy to work with Lal uncle again,” said the soft-spoken Esther, who reveals a maturity beyond her age.
“At that time, Lal uncle and Jeethu uncle [director Jeethu Joseph] did not expect the film to be such a colossal hit. When talks were on for the Tamil remake, I longed to be a part of it and when Jeethu uncle cast me again I was elated.”
Although Kamal Haasan had called her up after Drishyam and appreciated her work, Esther was initially scared of working with the star.
“I met him the first time for a scene that was shot in a bus,” remembered Esther. “Kamal uncle suggested we introduce ourselves with a song. To my surprise he seemed to know every song that people around sung and would join in. That broke the ice.”
Esther and Nivetha Thomas, who plays her sister in Papanasam, spent most of the time with Haasan and Gowthami.
“We played card games late into the night and Kamal uncle would prepare filter coffee for everyone. I realised that he was not the angry person I had visualised. Moreover for an aspiring actor like me, he is a school by himself,” added Esther.
She found Mohan Lal, down to earth and easy to work with, while Telugu actor Venkatesh, was a warm person, who waited patiently for co-actors to deliver their lines irrespective of several retakes.
Esther said it was easy to fake tears but faking laughter for a scene was not easy. However, the interrogation scenes of Drishyam and Papanasam were difficult.
Guiding her always was director Jeethu who enacted every scene.
“It made things easy. It was the same with Sri Priya auntie who directed the Telugu version,” revealed Esther, who was noticed by a cameraman when a television crew visited her home.
“My mother was participating in a cookery show that day and he called later with an offer to work in Aji John’s film.”
From the mountains of Wayanad to tinsel town Kochi, Esther’s journey has been an elevating one for Anil and Manju. Following her is younger brother, Eric Zachariah, who has made two films. Look out for him in upcoming Malayalam film Hallelujah.
After Abu Salim, a popular Malayalam villain, Wayanad boasts of a daughter who has put the town of Kalpetta on the celluloid map.
