‘Actresses used to refuse movies with me’: National Award-winning Indrans on past struggles

4 min readKochiJun 16, 2026 02:07 PM IST

Indrans with Madhoo Shah in Chinna Chinna Aasai. (Screenshot: YouTube/thinkmusicofficial)

While Indrans is currently hailed as one of the finest character actors in contemporary Malayalam cinema, his ascent to fame and glory wasn’t a cakewalk. Despite being in show business since the early 1980s, it has only been about a decade since the industry began recognising his talent and offering him roles commensurate with his immense potential.

As he gears up for the release of his upcoming movie, Chinna Chinna Aasai, where he shares the screen with yesteryear national crush Madhoo Shah, Indrans recalled that in the past, female actors were often hesitant to act in movies where he served as the male lead.

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Why Indrans wanted to hide his identity from Madhoo Shah

During a press meet organised as part of Chinna Chinna Aasai’s promotions, Indrans revealed that when Madhoo was approached for the role, he felt like telling the team not to disclose that he was the hero in the film for the time being.

“When Varsha (the movie’s director Varsha Vasudev) came and narrated the story, I really liked it. I agreed immediately without asking any further questions. She mentioned Madhoo Madam’s name back then itself,” Indrans recalled.

“I felt like telling the director, ‘If Madhoo Madam asks who is playing the role of Madhavan maash (the male lead), don’t mention my name; just say it hasn’t been finalised yet. Otherwise, if she asks around about me, and if someone tells her he’s just some guy who does comedy here, she might back out.’ Even if she is interested in the role, she might leave,” he shared.

Indrans on the hardships faced in his early career

Recalling similar past experiences, the veteran actor said, “This has happened to me with a few movies in the past. Initially, the movie’s team would mention the names of big artistes as part of the cast. But by the end, they won’t get these stars. Although I primarily focus on my own character, such situations still cause me anxiety.”

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“Then Varsha came and told me that Madhoo Madam liked the script and agreed. I was eagerly waiting for those dates. Whenever there were minor changes or a week’s delay (in the production), I would get nervous. I feared that if she opted out, someone else would replace her, which would affect the film’s prospects as well. That’s why I was so anxious. But fortunately, that didn’t happen. Madhoo Madam arrived for the shoot. I am very happy about that,” he added.

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From costume designer to National Award-winning actor

Indrans, 70, made his foray into the film industry in 1981 as a costume designer before transitioning to acting. For the longest time, he mostly played small, comedic roles. However, things have changed for Indrans over the past few years, and he has been getting substantial parts in notable movies.

He also received a Special Mention at the 69th National Film Awards for his performance in director Rojin Thomas’ Home (2021). Indrans was most recently seen in director RJ Balaji’s blockbuster Karuppu, featuring Suriya and Trisha Krishnan in the lead roles, where his performance garnered widespread acclaim.