Riding on the shining success of ‘Premalu’, actor Mamitha Baiju is making confident strides into the South Indian film industry. Her latest Tamil film, ‘Dude’, in which she stars opposite Pradeep Ranganathan — the new sensation in Tamil cinema — is enjoying a successful theatrical run, earning warm reviews and a strong audience response.
With the film’s success, the Pradeep–Mamitha on-screen pairing has already gained a growing fan base. Speaking to Manorama Online, Mamitha shares her excitement about the film’s journey and her experience working on it.
‘Dude came to me because of Super Sharanya’
“It was after watching ‘Super Sharanya’ that director Keerthiswaran Sir called me for ‘Dude’,” says Mamitha. “He offered me a character that carries weight throughout the film. Even though I’m a Malayali, he showed immense faith in me by entrusting a role rooted in Tamil culture. That belief meant a lot to me.”
She adds, “I had previously acted in the Tamil film ‘Rebel’, but my screen space there was quite limited. So, when I got a chance to play such a strong and central character in ‘Dude’, I felt a huge sense of responsibility to perform beautifully. I approached the role with a lot of expectations. For me, ‘Dude’ is a very special film.”
The Mamitha–Pradeep chemistry
“We first met at Keerthiswaran Sir’s office during the script reading and photoshoot. Pradeep Sir has this habit of making fellow artists comfortable, so I never felt nervous. From the very beginning, we shared a friendly vibe, and that helped make everything easy.”
‘₹15 crore? And that too for me? You’ve got to be kidding!’
“There were reports circulating on social media claiming that I received ₹15 crore as my salary for the movie. I’m not active on social media, but someone sent me a link, and I was honestly shocked to see the comments! People seemed to believe it completely. Some even wrote things like, ‘Has she really become that big to demand ₹15 crore?’ People should understand that not everything they see on social media is true.”
‘My dream was to become a doctor’
“My childhood dream was to become a doctor like my father. When I used to visit his clinic, everyone there called me ‘baby doctor’. They believed that since my father was a doctor, I would follow in his footsteps. I used to feel so happy seeing people come back after being cured of their diseases, thanking him with so much affection. I’ve always had huge respect for that profession.
“Cinema came into my life purely by accident. When I was in Class 9, I got a chance to act in the movie ‘Sarvopari Palakkaran’. It was produced by Aji Uncle, a close friend of my father. He suggested I attend the audition, and that’s how it all began.
“After acting in that movie, I started getting small roles in different films. Gradually, I began to enjoy acting and developed a connection with cinema. I realised that this was something I could never get tired of doing. That’s when I told my parents that acting was my chosen path. They set aside their dreams for me and gave their full support to help me make it my profession.”
Fame that came unexpectedly
“Sometimes, when something happens in my life, I sit and wonder, ‘Oh my God, is this really happening?’ When ‘Premalu’ was released, it became a massive hit not just in Kerala, but also in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Suddenly, everyone began recognising us. When we reached Hyderabad, people came up to take photos with me.
“At first, I couldn’t even process what was happening or how to handle that kind of fame. But once the initial surprise faded, I began to see it differently. I realised that when people show you such love, it also becomes your responsibility. It’s my duty to choose good stories and meaningful characters. Now, every time a movie comes my way, I read and learn the script with sincerity.”
Can never forget the ‘Premalu’ team
“‘Premalu’ was the turning point in my life. I share a special bond with everyone from the team — be it Naslen, Mathew, Sangeeth Ettan or Akhila Chechi. Each of them is now busy, walking their own path, but our friendship still remains strong. Among them, I meet Sangeeth Ettan and Akhila Chechi the most. Sangeeth Ettan calls me often, and I call him just as much. And yes, I’m eagerly waiting for ‘Premalu 2’! The rumours that the project has been shelved aren’t true.”
Working with Vijay, Suriya and Dhanush
“Acting with Vijay Sir felt like a dream come true. On my very first day on set, I was both nervous and thrilled as I couldn’t believe I was actually standing next to him! But he came up to me, spoke, and made me feel completely at ease. From that moment, I felt like one among them.
“I was supposed to act with Suriya Sir in a film titled ‘Vanangaan’, but it didn’t materialise for certain reasons. Later, when I finally got a chance to work with him, Suriya Sir told me, ‘Finally, we’re acting together!’ “Dhanush Sir has helped me a lot during our shoots. Once, I even forgot my dialogue because I was so awestruck by his performance! Working with such an incredible actor was truly a joy.”