On A Reel Ride!
RITZ|September 2018

In a very short span of time, this young actor has carved a niche for herself. This year, four of her much awaited movies are set for back to back release! Each of them are unique and challenging in its own way and Samyuktha Menon can’t wait to see her movies come alive on screen! RITZ has a freewheeling chat with the beautiful actress who is ready for some serious action in Mollywood!

Riya Sonny Datson
On A Reel Ride!
Tell us about your role in ‘Theevandi’ opposite Tovino Thomas. After watching the initial teasers, I think the audience have a misconception that it is a romantic movie. But it has romance, humour and family drama and is set in the backdrop of political satire. I play the role of a village damsel, whose father is a member of a political party. She falls in love with an unemployed young man (played by Tovino), who happens to be a chain smoker and hence the nickname ‘theevandi’. We had an awesome time shooting for the movie and all I can say is that the 47 days of our shoot were the happiest days of my life! Director Fellini, his core team and Tovino were already great friends…so I was the only one who seemed to be ‘new on the block’. Initially, I was apprehensive about breaking the ice and being a part of the team but it all fell into place easily and we had a great rapport throughout the shoot. It didn’t feel like a typical film making process as we had detailed discussions through each scene of the movie. Everyone seemed proactive and there was a great sync within the team. On the whole, it was a beautiful movie under a top production banner with some of the top actors and a wonderful crew! To me, it felt like a perfect package of happiness and vacation!

How was the experience working with Tovino Thomas?

This is the first time I am acting with a top star. On my way to the location, I was wondering about how Tovino would be. But I was in for a surprise. He is very down to earth and treats everyone right from his co-stars to the production boys with the same kind of respect and love. I felt extremely comfortable working with him.

In the trailer, you are seen slapping Tovino repeatedly, how comfortable were you doing that scene?

This story is from the September 2018 edition of RITZ.

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This story is from the September 2018 edition of RITZ.

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