Jul 18, 2026 6:00pm IST
‘Balan: The Boy’’s Farzana Palathingal on her Wish List: ‘I’d Love To Work With Basil Joseph, Priyadarshan and Lijo Jose’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Malayalam actor Farzana Palathingal’s path-breaking debut as Amma in “Balan: The Boy” has earned her accolades and commercial success. A trained occupational therapist, she attributes her rapport with child actor Adhisheshan to her professional skills that helped break the ice between them.
In an exclusive interview with Variety India, Farzana reveals how life has changed post the success of her film, her quest for a challenging role and staying grounded amid all the attention.
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You play a complex character in ‘Balan: The Boy.’ What made you choose to play a mother in your debut role?
To be honest, there was no thought process at all. Getting a debut in itself is quite difficult because so many people are auditioning for the same role; because it's such an established team. For me, it's truly a privilege that I got to play a character like this. I never had any second thoughts about playing a mother at all. I feel like a mother is a very relatable character. We all have mothers and it's truly an honor to play one who is messy and has way too many layers to her.
Do you think being an occupational therapist came handy while interacting with the child in ‘Balan The Boy’?
Oh, absolutely. I think it truly helped me kind of gain trust in a way. Because, you know, it is difficult for a child to just see someone for the first time and just call them their mother. And that's what happened during the chemistry test as well. He was a bit uncomfortable. But in occupational therapy, you basically allow the child to seek your company instead of the other way around. You give them time and space to get comfortable with you. You let them lead the entire scene. That is exactly what I did here as well. Having his trust really helped me show up for Adhisheshan, who played Balan. He was incredibly giving, patient, warm and authentic and that worked for us.
Do you feel the Malayalam film audience is far more evolved than the rest of the country?
I wouldn't really say just the Malayali audience. Our film has done well in languages like Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, even Kannada. I'm grateful that audiences are welcoming not just female-oriented stories but just good, well-rooted stories. I feel that if a story is good and it can keep you on your toes, that's all that's needed.
Do you feel the pressure to choose your next film more carefully?
There’s a bunch of stuff lined up, I'm not going to speak much about. But there is that nervousness that comes along with the success of your first film. There’s this momentum now and you must keep the same momentum or you get lost along the way. At the same time, it's truly up to the writers and filmmakers at the end of the day. I will pick up what truly challenges me. It does not have to be a meaty role. If it's well-rooted and just a five-minute role which challenges me, then I will take it up.
What keeps you motivated as you wait to sign your next film?
Right now, I am just excited to see what comes ahead. I don’t really see the competition as there is enough space for everyone to co-exist. I just like to keep myself grounded. Life has not changed much for me. While, yes, I do get noticed more when I go out, I’m the same old me who likes to wake up and have her tea and do her dishes and go out to watch a movie by herself or read books.
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Is there a wishlist of actors and directors across industries you would love to work with?
Especially in the Malayalam industry, I'd love to work with Basil Joseph, Priyadarshan and Lijo Jose. There are others as well.
What about venturing into other film industries?
I would love to venture into any industry that welcomes me and that has a story for me to portray. Language is no barrier at all. I feel like cinema is my language. There are so many well-rooted movies coming from so many languages. I would love to delve into all of that.
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