Gauthami Nair Makes Her foray Into OTT With ‘Kaakee Circus’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Gauthami Nair first made an impact with her debut in the “Second Show,” alongside Dulquer Salman, who also debuted with that film. She earned accolades for her role as a Tamil nurse in her next film, “Diamond Necklace” with Fahadh Faasil. With eight noteworthy films like “Chapters” (2012), “Kothara”(2014), “Campus Diary” (2016), “Meri Awaaz Suno”(2022), “2018” (2023) and “Kondal” (2024) to her credit, Gauthami is back with the OTT series, “Kaake Circus.” Variety India spoke to the actress, who is excited about her upcoming venture. 

Tell us about "Kaakee Circus”…   

This series is very different from everything I've done till now.  I can't reveal too much without giving away too much, so let’s just say I play a very quirky character. It's dark satire, it's fun, and we've been able to shoot it quite interestingly. I am very happy with the output so far.  It was mostly shot in parts of Kovalam, with the rest filmed in Pollachi. 

You have done only eight films since you debuted acting in 2012. Is it a conscious decision to take it slow? 

Initially, I made certain calculated moves or took risks.  In a sense, after the “Second Show” or after "Diamond Necklace,"  I wasn't ready to just take anything that came my way.  I wanted to make sure that every movie I did had something for me to do, instead of just doing the movie for the sake of it. I have never depended on films for my income.  

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So, you are not too perturbed by the demand for pay parity, then? 

I mean, I'm not saying it's not going to matter to me because there are a lot of women who consider this their bread and butter and it's very important for them. And I'm being offered the kind of pay that people think I deserve because of the amount of visibility that I might bring in. But there might be other women who have more power, more stardom, or more satellite value today, and if they feel that's what they should be paid, there is nothing wrong with that. I'm glad that we're at least where we are today to have these conversations. 

You were making your directorial debut with "Vruttam," which was launched in 2018. What happened to it? 

I directed "Vruttam" and it was almost complete. Only the climax of the movie was left. But then there were a few issues with the production and payment delays, and it didn't make sense anymore. And now it's been so many years, and redoing that movie is equal to directing a new one. I'm just going to shelve that and, at some point, come back with a new film that I would want to direct.  

What has this experience taught you? 

There are so many lessons that I have learned. It was a bummer that the movie didn't come out. But having said that, I did understand the nuances of how to direct a movie, and I've taken many lessons from that time in my life to use when I get back into directing at some point in the future.  

You were actively doing films till 2016, and you took a break before you returned to work in 2022. Any reason? 

So, the reason for that is I had gotten married and then post that, everybody automatically assumed that I had stopped acting, which wasn't true. 

Since 2022, it’s been one film per year for you. Is this another conscious decision? 

This is not a deliberate choice. It's just that by the time I do a movie, and it comes out, either it's not received the way I wanted to, or there isn't space for somebody like me for any role then. And then, eventually, a few months pass, and somebody else comes up with a script, and then that gets released the next year. So, I think that's how I've just been able to maintain a pattern of a yearly release.  

What is your position on this eight-hour work shifts debate?   

In Kerala, our working culture is different. Everybody's got the same shift; everybody's set on time. Fortunately, I have not experienced any such issues in the films I have worked on. But then, when I look at Bollywood, where I've heard multiple stories of many big heroes getting the opportunity to not work on the weekends, or come late to shoot and leave whenever they want to, but the same rule does not extend to a lady who wants similar timings and flexibility because she has a child to go back to. This is unfair. Everybody has to be treated equally on a set.