“I am fed up, Aunty. I've had enough of this,” Pooja tells her aunt in Ohm Shanti Oshaana after learning that Giri (Nivin Pauly) is going to marry another woman.
“I’ve never seen him laughing like this,” Divya tells her cousin in Bangalore Days when she discovers an old photo of her husband with another woman.
One was a girl who tried everything she could to woo her crush but still failed miserably. Another was a newly-wed woman who just wishes for elusive happiness in her married life.
As our hearts went out to both of them equally, we had one person to thank for – Nazriya Nazim, who did a fabulous job portraying the two characters. All the more reason why Nazriya’s announcement to return to the big screen is great news.
The actor, who married Malayalam star Fahadh Faasil in August 2014, has been out of action for the last three years. Earlier this week, she confirmed that she has signed director Anjali Menon’s new film where she will star alongside Prithviraj and Parvathy.
Malayalam women actors who find their life partners within the film fraternity have mostly bid adieu to the field. While Manju Warrier returned to films after her divorce, Rima Kallingal is one of the few exceptions who didn’t take a long break.
While it is refreshing to see Nazriya back in three years, what makes it more delightful for fans is that her comeback vehicle will be made by Anjali Menon who also gave her the meaty role of Divya.
From her debut as a child artist in Palunku in 2006, Nazriya has in fact acted in only around a dozen movies. Out of these, a majority were released in 2013 and 2014 and three were Tamil movies. If Neram brought her into the limelight, Raja Rani won her fans in Tamil Nadu.
Her performances in Ohm Shanti Oshaana and Bangalore Days won her the Kerala State award and ensured that she left a void in the film industry when she went out of action. Nazriya’s biggest assets are her bubbly personality and infectious charm – both of which make her a natural in front of the camera.
In Raja Rani, she played only a cameo. She had an unusual introduction with John (Arya) catching Keerthana dancing while brushing her teeth. Even the ending was striking as Keerthana meets with an accident and is soaked in blood. Between these, her “hey brother” antics kept that segment of 35 minutes lively.
Ohm Shanti Oshaana is one of the most entertaining Malayalam movies in recent times. It was cleverly written from the point of view of a woman protagonist, which is a pretty rare thing for a comedy entertainer. But the movie wouldn’t have had the same repeat value it has today if Nazriya hadn’t played the lead role.
Nazriya lends her own voice in Malayalam movies. This is such a stand-out factor when you need audiences to be drawn to your performance. Her voice-over, which ran through most of Ohm Shanti Oshaana, benefitted the movie hugely. The narration of her professor's heart attack was a riot despite the gravity of the episode.
The actor has great flair for comedy, evident in scenes such as the one where she hands over her poem titled ‘Mathi’ (sardine) to Giri’s mother or when she runs out of the medical entrance coaching centre.
In Bangalore Days, Nazriya showed further polish as an actor. A memorable scene is when Das (Fahadh Faasil) asks her how their dinner was and Divya replies, “It was splendid.” The heavy tone perfectly conveys her state of mind. The shaken appearance when Das shuts the door on her to end their heated argument or the broad smile on seeing the fridge full of mango juice – both told us how she has started to use her expressions to good effect.
Nazriya found some success as a singer too, lending her voice to two Gopi Sunder numbers in Salala Mobiles (La La Lasa) and Bangalore Days (Ente Kannil Ninakkai). She played a different character, an introvert, in Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram (Vaayai Moodi Pesavum) but the movie was a flop.
Divya’s eyes sparkle when Das invites her to dinner much to her surprise. Pooja’s smile is wiped off to be replaced with shock when she hears the news of Giri’s wedding. This is the kind of spontaneity you want to watch in any actor when you watch a movie. This is exactly why I look forward to seeing Nazriya on screen again.
Welcome back Nazriya. You were missed.