How Dubai-based architect Jalwa landed a crucial scene with Mammootty in ‘Patriot’

It may have been a brief appearance in ‘Patriot,’ but for Jalwa Lathief, the experience was nothing short of a dream come true. The Dubai-based architect, who has long nurtured aspirations of becoming an actor, is still overwhelmed by the opportunity to share screen space with Mammootty in the Mahesh Narayanan directorial.

Speaking to Onmanorama, Jalwa described the experience as ‘surreal’, adding that landing a role in Patriot came as a complete surprise. For the audition, she was asked to perform a small portion from the film, without knowing much about the project or its scale.

“After I got selected, they told me which scene I would be doing. I had no idea it was such a massive production with such a big cast. When I heard Mammookka was in the movie, I never imagined I would actually get to play such a crucial moment with him on screen,” she said. She admitted she had her apprehensions, given that Mammookka was an actor with so much aura. ‘There’s always fear because you admire him so much and he has this incredible aura around him. But he makes everyone comfortable. He never lets newcomers feel out of place,” she said.

Though professionally trained as an architect, Jalwa had always stayed connected to the performing arts. During her architecture studies, she actively participated in drama and dance, while secretly holding onto her passion for acting. She recalled how one missed opportunity became a turning point in her journey.

“I had once applied for an audition, but I fell sick before the final round and couldn’t perform properly. That was when I realised how important acting truly was for me. Since then, I kept trying relentlessly to improve myself and portray different characters whenever I got the chance,” she said.

Jalwa also spoke fondly about working with director Mahesh Narayanan, whom she maintained is a perfectionist with remarkable clarity in storytelling.

“Mahesh sir explains everything in detail. Even if it’s just a two-minute scene, he gives you the full backstory and emotional cues for the character. That really helps actors understand the scene better. Since he is also an editor, he knows exactly what he wants. Usually, it would take only two or three takes. Apart from that, the whole process was very smooth,” she said.

Despite having no background in the film industry, Jalwa said the warmth and professionalism of the ‘Patriot’ team helped ease her fears about entering cinema.

“I had always wondered how someone without any industry connections could make it into films. But once I got cast, every single person on the team made me feel comfortable. The co-actors were also extremely supportive,” she said.

The shoot itself turned out to be an unforgettable journey. Her schedule spanned locations including Azerbaijan, Sharjah, and Kochi, giving her a glimpse into the scale and excitement of a major film production. “Travelling with the crew and being part of such a large-scale set was an amazing experience. Recently, Mohanlal joked about how Mammooka got to travel several countries while he had only shoot schedules in Sri Lanka. Moments like that made me realise how special this opportunity was,” she said.

Having taken her first step into cinema, Jalwa now hopes this is only the beginning. With ‘Patriot’ giving her a start, she looks forward to exploring more challenging characters and carving her own space in the industry.