'I thought Minnal Murali died': How Tovino inspired 'Balan' child star Adhisheshan to pursue acting

If Chidambaram's 'Balan' has left audiences talking about one performance long after they leave the theatre, it is that of its youngest actor. Seven-year-old Adhisheshan K R hardly has the loudest moments in the film. He doesn't deliver punch dialogues or dramatic monologues. Instead, it is his watchful eyes, hesitant silences and quiet vulnerability that have stayed with viewers.

The irony isn't lost on Adhisheshan himself. "That's what Ganu chettan liked about me," he says, referring to actor and casting director Ganapathi. "He told me it was my eyes."

For Adhisheshan, 'Balan' may have been his breakthrough, but the dream itself began much earlier. Long before auditions and film sets became part of his life, the youngster from Cherthala had already decided he wanted to be an actor. He was barely three-and-a-half when he first told his parents he wanted to act.

His parents didn't come from the film industry. His father works as a carpenter and his mother, Athira, is a homemaker. Like most children his age, Adhisheshan grew up watching films simply because he loved them. '2018' and 'KGF' were among his favourites. But one particular scene changed the way he looked at cinema forever.

Watching the climax of '2018', he genuinely believed Tovino Thomas had died.
"I told my mother that Minnal Murali had died," he recalls with a laugh. "She explained that it was only acting. That's when I realised actors become different people on screen. From then on, I wanted to be one too."

His first opportunity arrived through the short film 'Sughandhi'. It wasn't a big production, but it proved to be the right place at the right time. Ganapathi watched the film, asked the young actor to audition for 'Balan' and soon after, Adhisheshan found himself stepping into the world of cinema in earnest.

The boy audiences see in 'Balan' couldn't be more different from the child his family knows.
"Balan is quiet and scared. Adhisheshan isn't like that at all," Athira says. "At home he's constantly running around, asking questions and finding something new to do. He's full of energy."

That contrast became one of the biggest challenges during filming. Playing Balan meant slowing himself down, reacting with restraint and expressing fear without saying much. Before filming began, Adhisheshan underwent six months of acting workshops that helped him understand the demands of performing for the camera.
Once shooting started, however, he says the nervousness disappeared almost immediately. "I wasn't nervous about going to the sets at all. I was confident I could do the role, and everyone there made me feel comfortable," he says.

Among those who looked after him were director Chidambaram and Ganapathi, who patiently walked him through every scene.
"They would explain what they wanted. I'd memorise my lines and do it."
He also found an unexpected friend in Tovino Thomas.

"I love Tovi uncle," he says excitedly. "I also love Mammootty and Mohanlal and watch lots of their films."
Not every scene came easily. One of the toughest parts of acting, he discovered, was switching emotions at a moment's notice.
"Crying was difficult," he admits. "At first they used glycerine. Later, I started thinking about sad memories whenever I had to cry. Many of the crying scenes in the film are real."

Away from the camera, life has changed faster than he imagined. Promotions for 'Balan' have kept him away from school, and while messages of appreciation continue to pour in from strangers, he is looking forward to something much simpler, meeting his classmates again.
One phone call has already made the experience unforgettable.

"My friend Devadathan watched the film and called me. He said I acted really well," Adhisheshan says, unable to hide his excitement. "I just told him, 'Thank you so much!'"

Athira says the response from audiences has been overwhelming. Their phones have barely stopped ringing since the film's release, with viewers calling to congratulate the family on the young actor's performance. Yet, despite the growing attention and fresh offers beginning to arrive, the family isn't in a hurry.

"He's only seven," she says. "We're taking things slowly and deciding what feels right for him."
For now, Adhisheshan seems happy doing what seven-year-olds do best, talking endlessly about his favourite actors, waiting to see his friends again and dreaming about the next time someone calls 'Action'.