My appearance is a plus point: Sudev

Until he won the State Award for the Best Actor through his role in My Life Partner, Sudev Nair wasn’t a name Malayalis reckoned with.
All of that is a thing of the past and his daring character in the first movie, model looks and sparkling grey eyes have struck a chord with M-Town’s movie buffs within a short time. The actor’s next film is Sachi’s debut directorial Anarkali, in which he shares screen with the likes of Prithviraj and Kabir Bedi.Sudev speaks to us about what acting means to him, his dreams, relationship status, and more:
It looks like you have become busier post the award. How all has it changed your life?
I was already quite busy with the web series that I was directing and now its post-production work is on. However, yes, people approach me a lot more now for interviews, felicitations and films, and life has changed positively. From a time when I pursued opportunities and took up what came my way, it has reached a phase where work comes to me. Moreover, people have started recognising me in Kerala and I am quite glad it’s all happening.
Tell us about your role in Anarkali
I can’t reveal much, but can say that I play a non-Malayali naval officer, who speaks Malayalam. Most of my scenes are with Prithviraj and Kabir Bedi. Prithvi is a lot more experienced than me and he has been quite helpful on the set. I am having a good time working on this film and even went for scuba diving, while we were shooting in Lakshadweep!
You don’t look like a conventional Malayalam hero who can slip into a common man’s role and are even mistaken for a North Indian actor, at times. Does that bother you?
As far as I am concerned, my looks are my asset. For instance, In Padmakumar’s My Life Partner, which won me the award, I don’t look like a model or a North Indian, but very much a normal Malayali guy. Towards the end of the film, my character becomes depressed and psychotic, and I guess I could carry off the right appearance for those scenes too, quite well.
At the same time, if I want to play someone out of the ordinary, I can become that too easily. I can’t take the credit for my looks, it is something I have got and I don’t see it as a handicap, but a plus point.
You have directed a web series. Does filmmaking figure in your cinema dreams?
Yes, I want to direct and write as well, and I believe my acting stints will help me understand the craft better.
What is the kind of cinema you are looking to associate with?
My interest in films is not genre-specific. Be it off-beat or commercial cinema, I want to explore the horizons of it all and don’t want to be categorized for my work. There are also no criteria that I lay out, to pick my work. As of now, I am keen to experience large scale filmmaking, though.
You seem to be a fitness enthusiast
I am trained in different martial arts like boxing, karate, judo, kalaripayattu and parkour (a kind of military obstacle training). I trained in them all purely out of interest and also as part of equipping myself for acting.
With the award in your kitty, are you ready to bank on your eligible bachelor tag?
I have no plans to get married in the near future (smiles). I am completely focused on my work and cinema remains my priority at the moment.