Drishyam 3’s nurse Shreya: The real-life doctor who once starred in ‘Halo Kuttichathan’

Remember the popular children’s fantasy series ‘Halo Kuttichathan’ that introduced actors like Shane Nigam to Malayalam cinema? Among the young cast, the youngest was Shraddha Gokul, who played Varsha in the popular series that ran for 85 episodes. Now all grown up, the Thiruvananthapuram native has made a return to the silver screen with 'Drishyam 3', directed by Jeethu Joseph.

Before this, she appeared in his recent film ‘Valathu Vashathe Kallan’, playing a small yet pivotal role. But it was in 'Drishyam 3' that audiences truly noticed her again, as she stepped into the role of a nurse, the daughter of a key character in the film.

Interestingly, the role quite mirrors her real life. While Shraddha plays a nurse on screen, she is actually a doctor off screen, currently doing her house surgency at the government-run Woman and Child Hospital in Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram. “I’m extremely happy to have got this opportunity. I have been away from the industry for long and trying to get back to do what I truly loved was not easy for me. ‘Valathu Vashathe Kallan’ was my silver lining,” she said.

Shraddha had always wanted to become a doctor, but dancing and acting was always her passion. “I remember being very sure about my career choices. Though I did get a good break with the series ‘Halo Kuttichathan’ and later with a serial, I had to put my dreams on hold to pursue medicine,” the actor who appeared in ‘Pattam Pole’ said.

She added that while most youngsters were active on social media, she struggled to make her presence felt. “Once academics became serious, I lost touch with dance and acting. At one point, especially with the rise of social media and influencer culture, I felt like I had fallen behind. I feared I would not be able to find my place again in the industry,” she admitted. The actor reveals she auditioned for ‘Valathu Vashathe Kallan’ after her neighbour’s son who was working as an assistant director in the movie told her about the opportunity.

“That chance came unexpectedly through a neighbour’s son. He and his father knew I wanted to return to acting, and one day he called me saying there was an audition happening that very day. Thankfully, I was available. I performed two characters for a scene, but honestly, I wasn’t sure if I would get selected. Jeethu sir is such a respected filmmaker, so even attending the audition itself felt huge to me,” she said.

“Within two days, I got the call saying I was selected. Even though it wasn’t a lengthy role, I was thrilled just to be part of a Jeethu Joseph film. And surprisingly, those few minutes on screen created an impact. People now recognise me because of that character,” she added. For ‘Drishyam 3’, Shraddha did not even have to audition. In fact, when she first received a message informing her that she had been selected for the film, she thought someone was playing a prank on her. “When I got a message mentioning 'Drishyam 3' along with my character’s name, I genuinely thought it was fake. I couldn’t believe they would consider me for such a huge project,” she said with a laugh.

Journey from ‘Halo Kuttichathan’
I started learning dance when I was three years old, and I always knew I wanted to pursue the arts in some form. That eventually led me to a dance reality show on a popular TV channel during my childhood. The show gave me a lot of exposure. Shane Nigam and Abhay Thampi were also part of it, and when a channel decided to launch Halo Kuttichathan, we all got selected,” she recalled. “At that age, we were just children enjoying the opportunities that came our way. But when I look back now, I realise how golden those moments truly were, and I’m grateful to have been part of something so memorable,” she added.

The actor recalls her interaction with Mohanlal in ‘Drishyam 3’, adding that he and the director made her at ease before doing a crucial scene for the movie. “I have heard Esther Anil say that Lalettan is much more a child at heart than we are. It is true. It is indeed delightful to see him perform for the cameras,” she said. Currently balancing her dual careers in medicine and cinema, Shraddha is hopeful that her recent performances will lead to more substantial roles in the future.