‘If not for Nivin, I’d have been forgotten’: Arun Varma on his journey from Major Ravi’s assistant to directing superstar films

 Not many filmmakers get the chance to collaborate with superstars or celebrated writers at the very beginning of their careers. Arun Varma, however, is one of the few exceptions. After making his Malayalam debut with the Suresh Gopi–starrer Garudan, the director followed it up with 'Baby Girl,' starring Nivin Pauly and scripted by Bobby-Sanjay. The film is now set for its OTT release, marking another significant milestone in Arun Varma’s still-young journey.

The filmmaker said he feels blessed to have collaborated with Suresh Gopi, Biju Menon and Nivin Pauly in his first films, though he had conceptualised both projects with Kunchacko Boban in his mind. “When I decided to helm my first film, it was actor Kunchacko Boban who placed his trust in me. He gave me the courage to take 'Garudan' forward, but he was unable to take up the project due to prior commitments. That is how Suresh chettan came into the picture. It was the same for ‘Baby Girl.’ We went ahead with the project with Kunchacko in our mind, but he had to step away at the last moment due to an important commitment.

"The project had almost come to a standstill, and I was completely disheartened. That’s when we decided to approach Nivin Pauly, and Listin Stephen helped us get in touch with him. Nivin sir immediately connected with the project. We were surprised, since we thought he might decline the role since he was only one of the four protagonists. However, he agreed to come on board because he related deeply to the character as a father and wanted to be part of a strong, meaningful story,” said Arun.

Arun is grateful to Nivin Pauly, adding that without him, people would have forgotten him as a director. “Nivin sir walked into the script at a crucial time, when I thought I would have had to drop the project. If I had not done this project, people would have forgotten me. I had already been forgotten since I helmed my previous film in 2023. The industry already has several talented directors,” he said.

On working with popular scriptwriters like Midhun Manuel and Bobby-Sanjay duo: “In that sense, I have been truly fortunate. Working with them has been a huge learning experience for me. All of them are exceptional and highly professional writers—one with decades of experience, and the other representing a more contemporary voice shaped over the past decade. What stands out is that despite their stature, they are both open to change.

According to him, neither of them works within rigid templates or guarded comfort zones. “They are genuinely open to feedback and discussion. Midhun Manuel is the kind of director who openly circulates his scripts for feedback. That is something that not many writers are willing to do. But I learned the importance of doing that, because after a while, you start losing objectivity about your own writing,” he said. He also spoke about his friendship with the writer-duo Sanjay-Bobby, especially Sanjay. “Despite the age difference, Sanjay chettan has always treated me like a close friend—almost like a younger brother. That kind of rapport doesn’t come easily, and I’m grateful both of them were open to building that relationship. Honestly, when I grow in stature as a director, I don’t know if I wold be this open to my younger counterparts. But that is a lesson I have learnt from them,” he said.

The director also spoke about ‘Baby Girl’s’ comparison with ‘Traffic’. "The only common factor between the two films is the presence of Listin Stephen, Sanjay-Bobby and Nivin Pauly, who played a cameo in ‘Traffic’. Apart from both stories unfolding within a 24-hour timeline, there are no other similarities. While one could point to human connection as a shared element, beyond that there is no basis for comparison—not in the pacing, and definitely not in the narrative,” he said.

Speaking about the challenges of working with a newborn on set, he admitted that, in hindsight, the decision felt almost foolish—though at the time, it seemed like the right creative choice. “I never realised how difficult it would be to find a baby for a shoot. People might agree to let their baby be part of a shoot for a day, but not for a continuous two-to-three-month schedule,” he said.

At one point, the team even considered taking cinematic liberty by casting a six-month-old baby as a newborn, but that plan didn’t work either. “Finally, the line producer, who was originally responsible for arranging a baby for the shoot, ultimately took the risk and cast his own newborn daughter to be part of the film. The biggest concern was the baby’s immunity and overall safety. We couldn’t approach the shoot in a conventional way or aim for complete visual immersion like some films do, with open locations and uncontrolled spaces. The movie demanded realism—Christmas settings, outdoor scenes, even moments where the baby goes missing—but we had to carefully create a controlled environment,” he said.

The team avoided unsanitised locations, restricted access to areas like toilets, designated specific spaces for the baby, and ensured strict sanitisation protocols for the cast and crew. “We planned every close-up and every moment of exposure very carefully. Looking back now, it still makes me anxious, but thankfully nothing happened to the baby,” he added.

Arun, who is based in Chennai, cherished a dream to be part of the film industry from childhood. “My father advised me to aim to be a technician rather than an actor. He believed technicians earn more respect because they have a voice in the creative process. That’s when I began paying close attention to film credits.

We have great masters in Malayalam cinema—K G George, Padmarajan, Sibi Malayil—true legends of the craft. After college, I started watching more international films, and by the time I was in seventh or eighth grade, I knew I wanted to work in cinema, especially in writing and editing. My father insisted that I complete a degree, and I agreed. Since I didn’t have any industry connections, I felt I needed at least a year or two to find my footing.

Even before finishing my degree, I began working as an assistant director with Major Ravi on 'Punarjani' and 'Keerthi Chakra.' I continued assisting other directors on various projects until the highly-acclaimed 'Kanthara,' while also branching out to earn some money to eventually make my own films. I also worked on a Tamil film during this period.

However, I lost nearly four years to depression. After that phase, I decided it was time to take control and make a film on my own—and that decision led to 'Garudan'," he said.​​