Actor Tovino Thomas became a superstar overnight not only in cinema but also in life. Though his films were not box-office bombs or he didn’t do anything to sully his name, certain sections of the social media trained their guns on him. During the 2018 floods that ravaged Kerala, Tovino toiled away to reach as many relief camps as possible to lend a hand to those affected by the deluge.
However, some people, who ‘enjoyed’ the floods by surfing through the channels in the comfort of their homes, tried to finish him off through trolls. Despite all these challenges, Tovino became a great star of the Malayalam film industry and OTT (over the top) platform overnight. And now the actor is making his presence felt on the trending list of Netflix, an international OTT platform, in 30 countries.
The phenomenal rise of Tovino through Malayalam flick ‘Minnal Murali’ was something out of the blue. The talented actor is getting this kind of wide acceptance after being in the filmdom for the past 10 years. Here Tovino talks about stardom and life after the success of ‘Minnal Murali’.
Your take on superstar tag
No one becomes a superstar solely on the success of a movie. The films I did and the movies I will do in future will keep me going in the world of cinema. I have donned various roles, which I feel are different, in the movies that are going to hit the silver screen.
Was there any risk in the storyline of ‘Minnal Murali’?
As Director Basil Joseph and I are children at heart, we proceeded with the project with great enthusiasm and excitement. When I was in school, I expected that I would become a superman and fly around in future. Our families watched ‘Minnal Murali’ together. My father had tear in his eyes while watching the movie and my mother was happy with a tinge of sorrow. These responses gave me the strength before the film was released on OTT platform.
Following world attention, did you get a feeling that you became a great star?
Popularity is quite exciting, especially when people who don’t know our language talk about me and the film. But all the hype will end in a few days. This success has only made me more responsible. Now movie buffs will expect more from me and it is a tall order to live up to their expectations.
Any offers from other languages?
I will act in other language movies only if I am inevitable in those films. My language is Malayalam and that’s my world. With the advent of OTT, the current situation is such that our films can enter the world cinema market.