In Malayalam film Rakshadikari Baiju Oppu, there is a hilarious scene where Baiju (Biju Menon) jumps into a well on hearing the word “police” and emerges later covered with plants. A friend captures it on his phone and the picture is passed around. Baiju’s daughter receives it too. She shares the funny picture with her grandparents who enjoy the joke. But her mother Ajitha is not amused. When Baiju returns home, a sulking Ajitha asks him why he never told her about the well incident. Baiju retorts, “Ok the next time I fall into a well I will tell you.” You can’t help but laugh.
Model and dentist turned actress Hannah Reji Koshy plays Ajitha, a typical homely woman living in a small town and a mother to a teenager. Koshy’s cute portrayal of Ajitha lives long in the minds of viewers. Ajitha is like every woman in love with her husband, yearning for his attention and when ignored, does not turn nagging shrew, but sulks like a little girl.
What made the one-film-old Koshy, who made her foray into Malayalam cinema with Darvinte Parinamam, take on a mature role of a mother in her second film?
“As an artist I am keen on trying different roles and would not like to be typecast,” said Koshy over the phone from Kerala. “Ajitha was a challenge no doubt. Ranjan ettan [director Ranjan Pramod] guided me step by step. He advised me to be natural and emphasised on bringing out Ajitha’s love for Baiju all the time.”
She was initially nervous about working with a veteran such as Menon but all that changed after ten minutes on the first day of the shooting.
“Biju ettan is fun on the sets with a sense of humour. He is a spontaneous actor and his positive vibes helped me pull myself up,” she said.
Koshy said that her family members were surprised with her transformation on-screen. Compliments continue to pour in after two weeks of the film’s release. Up next is her cameo role in Pokkiri Simon directed by Jijo Antony.
She is listening to scripts in Malayalam and Tamil, too. And the dentist also has plans of opening her own clinic.
