Parvathy Thiruvothu, last seen in Lijin Jose’s anthology Her, has long been one of the most prominent faces in Malayalam and Tamil cinema. Now, she is looking to expand her creative horizons by venturing into direction.
In a recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Parvathy addressed rumours surrounding her transition into filmmaking and confirmed that she is indeed working on her first directorial project. Speaking about where the film currently stands, she said, “It is so close, yet so far kind of a situation.”
The actor revealed that the project began during the pandemic, when two writers approached her with a screenplay. Initially assuming they wanted her to act in the film, Parvathy was surprised to learn that they specifically wanted her to direct it, despite her initial apprehension about taking on the responsibility.
Reflecting on why she ultimately said yes, Parvathy shared, “I read it and I understood (why they wanted me to direct the film), which is why I am so excited — which is why I have waited. I could’ve done many other films in the last five years of setting this up, but I feel like this has to be my first film.”
The actress also spoke about how acting, while instinctive and fulfilling in many ways, no longer feels creatively sufficient on its own. “Acting alone isn’t filling my cup anymore,” she said, adding that she now finds herself consciously resisting acting opportunities that could delay her directorial debut.
Talking about her upcoming acting projects, Parvathy mentioned Storm, directed by Ajitpal Singh and produced by Hrithik Roshan and Eshaan Roshan under their banner, HRX Films; she expressed her excitement and the satisfaction she experienced after landing the role. She is also awaiting the release of I, Nobody, directed by Nissam Basheer, which follows a man accused of a bank heist as he faces violence while trying to prove his innocence.
Drawing parallels between the filmmaking approaches of Ajitpal Singh and Nissam Basheer, Parvathy said she hopes to be similarly prepared and emotionally present for her actors when she directs her own film.