She caught the audience’s attention in Jailer as Shwetha, the daughter-in-law of superstar Rajinikanth’s character, Muthuvel Pandian. Actor Mirnaa has reprised her role as Shwetha in Jailer 2, which released today. In this exclusive chat with NDTV, the Malayalam actor opens up about working in possibly the biggest film of her career and what she has learnt on this journey.
Ask her what has been her biggest takeaway from working on Jailer and Jailer 2, the Big Brother actor says, “Jailer will always be special to me because the exposure it gave me was very different from that of my other films. I have worked in big commercial films in Malayalam and Telugu, including Mohanlal sir and Nagarjuna sir, but Jailer was on a much bigger scale. With that scale came greater responsibility. When I did the first part, I was relatively new to the industry and still figuring things out. Jailer brought me a lot of visibility and taught me to take on more responsibility. With Jailer 2, the challenge is even greater because the audience already knows what we are capable of. Meeting their expectations is a huge responsibility. The biggest learning for me has been watching how superstars work. Over the years, I have observed Rajinikanth sir and other stars like Mohanlal sir on the set, especially their discipline, passion and commitment to cinema. You begin to understand why they have achieved the stature they have. Jailer and Jailer 2 have been a book of memories and learning for me.”
While the rest of the Jailer / Jailer 2 came with many years of experience and acting was par for the course, Mirnaa was still making her way in her movie career. How was Nelson Dilipkumar as a director, especially to younger artists like her? “Nelson treats everyone equally. We never felt that there was a difference between a newcomer and an established actor. He respects your time, your effort and even the smallest things you do on set. He makes you feel seen and valued. He has also told me that every character must have a beautiful arc. Even if the screen time is limited, the character must reach the audience and have a purpose in the film. I really appreciate that about him,” she says with happiness. “I have never taken more than two takes in either Jailer or Jailer 2. Nelson often mentions this proudly at press meets and other events. I feel very proud of that because a film of this scale involves enormous production costs, schedules and many people working together. I always prepare extensively before stepping on to the set because I want to be a cooperative co-star.”
Having shot with Rajinikanth for around 45 days, Mirnaa reveals that she and the veteran star spent time discussing everything from books to cinema and more. “We discussed cinema and shared what we are both watching. He keeps himself updated on all the new content, directors, etc, which I find fascinating. One particularly memorable experience happened during the Jailer. We were shooting a theatre scene for a song in a theatre with an audience present. Rajini sir and I sat together and watched a film on the big screen – it was his film Petta. I was mouthing the dialogues as the movie played, and he was surprised that I knew his lines so well. I told him I had watched the film several times. I was genuinely excited – watching a superstar’s film in the theatre sitting beside the superstar himself was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me!” she smiles.
The Naa Saami Ranga actor also observed Rajinikanth – like most people do – when he was on set to learn more from him. “He’s very careful about what he puts into his system, both emotionally and spiritually. I know that he is a vegetarian and follows a strict diet; he doesn’t eat white foods. I learnt he’s quite physically active – he works out, lifts weights, walks and swims. Whenever he gets time on set, he’ll just sit and meditate. I have had the opportunity to observe so many different sides of him, and that has been a learning experience in itself,” she says.
Coming to director Nelson Dilipkumar, he is known to have a humorous side to him but has he ever lost his cool on set? Mirnaa smiles and replies, “What is remarkable is that he never seems to lose his cool. He is a perfectionist, and he will spend an entire day on a single shot if necessary, until he is satisfied with it. Despite the budget, the expectations and the pressure surrounding a film like this, he remains calm and continues to joke around on the microphone after a take. He has a very sarcastic sense of humour. We have often wondered how he manages to stay so composed under so much pressure.”
Mirnaa says that it was the childhood dream of becoming an actor that keeps her motivated and pushes her to work harder. “I wanted to become a heroine and work with the big stars. I had enormous dreams, and I believe the universe is powerful. My affirmations and manifestations have gradually come true. Now, I want to leave my mark in the industry. I want to build my own identity and signature as an actor, and I am willing to work hard for it. For instance, when I had signed a film with director Ameer, he initially thought I was a Tamil girl. When he realised I wasn’t fluent in Tamil, he was concerned because he said sometimes, he gave actors their lines just before a take and needed them to be ready. I asked him for a month to learn Tamil properly. I went home, learnt to read and write the language, and returned ready to do the film. Looking back, it feels almost unreal. Now. I can speak Telugu and I am learning Kannada too,” she adds.
Mirnaa is brimming with excitement for Jailer 2. “We have done our work, and the entire team has given the film its best. Now, we want the audience to embrace it. I genuinely believe people are going to love the film. There are so many good elements in it, and I am excited for audiences to experience it. Whatever the result, I am happy to have been part of this journey,” she signs off.
Also Read | Jailer 2 Review: A Solid Commercial Entertainer Thanks To Superstar Rajinikanth
