Now, you need to reach out to people to get projects: Manjima Mohan

For me, completing 10 years in the industry is, in itself, an achievement. I didn’t even realise that a decade has passed since my debut,” starts off Manjima Mohan, who had made her debut with the Malayalam film Oru Vadakkan Selfie, in 2015.
In a chat with us, the actress talks about her latest outing, the web series Suzhal The Vortex Season 2, working with Gautham Vasudev Menon, married life with actor Gautham Karthik, and more…
‘I WAS DISHEARTENED THAT THERE WERE NO CALLS FROM MALAYALAM AFTER ORU VADAKKAN SELFIE’
“Even though Oru Vadakkan Selfie (OVS) was well-received, the response towards my performance was not great. I was disheartened as there were no calls from the Malayalam industry after its release. I took it personally, and had decided that acting is not meant for me and that my dreams were over,” she says.” Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada (AYM) is the reason I’m here today,” she adds.
“AYM and its Telugu version, Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo were my first Tamil and Telugu films. It was a huge responsibility that Gautham sir was placing on me. I’m forever grateful to Vineeth and Gautham sir for giving me a good start,” the actress states.
‘I REALISED WHAT MY PRIORITIES WERE WHEN I DID MORE FILMS’
Stating that she is a “go-with-the-flow person”, Manjima admits the mistakes she made in her career initially were because she “took the opinion of too many people seriously”. “When I started doing more films, I realised what my actual priorities were,” she says, adding, “I enjoyed working in films even as a child artiste. I took a break from cinema to be able to enjoy my childhood. But, while in college, I realised that no matter what I was trying to do, I would circle back to becoming an actor.”
‘NOW, YOU NEED TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE TO GET PROJECTS’
That wasn’t the only time the actress took a break from cinema, as she did it even before her wedding with actor Gautham Karthik, in 2022. But things had changed within the brief period she had stayed away from the limelight. “When I wanted to start working again, a friend of mine suggested I reach out to people I want to associate with. While it seemed strange initially, I then realised that everybody was doing this. There is a lot of talent out there, and people don’t remember you unless you’re a legend. You can be easily forgotten, and it’s important to reach out to people. And so, I reached out to a few filmmakers, including Pushkar and Gayatri, who got back to me for Suzhal 2,” says the actress.
‘SINCE GAUTHAM IS ALSO AN ACTOR, HE UNDERSTANDS ME’
Manjima says, “Since Gautham is also an actor, he understands me and my timings. It’s easy to communicate with him about what’s going through my head or why I couldn’t do a scene. We are normal people at home and rarely discuss cinema.”
‘I don’t deal with online trolling because I don’t know who I’m dealing with’
Speaking about online trolls, Manjima says, “I don’t deal with online trolling because I don’t know who I’m dealing with. So, what can I tell them? They might be going through something and are venting it out in the comment section of the first picture they see. Once you understand that’s all it is and it’s not personal, you realise that there is nothing to deal with.”