From cancer care field to filmdom: Viji Venkatesh is the latest addition to Malayalam cinema’s enthralling list of actors

The septuagenarian has now embarked on a new journey and recently made her acting debut in the Malayalam movie, Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum, directed by Akhil Sathyan. The film features Fahadh Faasil, Anjana Jayaprakash, Vineeth, Dhwani Rajesh, (late) Innocent, Mukesh, Shanthi Krishna, Althaf Salim, and several others.

“It just happened. I have a full-time job… For more than 36 years, I have worked in the cancer care field, which keeps me occupied. Therefore, I doubt that I ever even considered a career in film. It was like a dream that I never dreamt of coming true. But I was tempted to accept this offer when it was made. I continued to tell them, nevertheless, that I don’t speak Malayalam very well and that I work full-time. However, I piqued the interest of director Akhil Sathyan. He said this was how he visualised the character, and that I would do really well. So that’s how it happened,” Viji tells indianexpress.com.

Although Viji’s parents settled in Delhi many years ago, where she completed her schooling before moving to Mumbai after marriage, she cherishes many fond memories of Kerala. “We are Palakkad Iyers who speak Tamil but settled in Kerala. My mother’s family is from Trivandrum where I was born, and my grandfather served as a high court judge. My father was from Thrissur and worked in the Home Ministry in Delhi. We used to travel from Delhi to Kerala during the summer holidays. I still recall our journey on the Grand Trunk Express and how we took another train from Egmore to Trivandrum. From there, we would go to Thrissur, where my father’s house was located. We spent all of our summer holidays in Kerala. Many of our relatives still reside in Kerala. My husband also hails from Kerala; he is from Thrippunithura. Recently, we went to Thrippunithura on his birthday and visited all the temples he used to go to during his childhood. I moved to Bombay, where my children were also born, after getting married and have been living there for 50 years. But we all speak Tamil. So, even when we visit Chennai, I feel very content. But coming to Kerala feels like coming back home to me. It makes my soul very happy.”

Viji Venkatesh with director Akhil Sathyan and actors Fahadh Faasil, Shanthi Krishna and Abhiram Radhakrishnan on the set of Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum.

Viji Venkatesh, who recently made her acting debut in the Malayalam movie Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum directed by Akhil Sathyan, shares her experience of working with him: “Akhil is not very talkative, but he has a strong personality and communicates effectively through his expressions. I could understand what he wanted without him telling me. It never felt like he was a first-time director. He knows his craft so well. He seldom gave me specific directions, leaving it up to me.” She also adds that Akhil got upset when her accent was off, but she found it amusing to remind him that she had already warned him about her Malayalam ‘skills’.

Regarding her first film shoot, Viji says, “I was initially nervous on the first day on set, but the crew, including Akhil, his fantastic team of assistant directors, DOP Sharan, and others, made me feel at ease. It felt like a casual family outing, and they made me feel very cherished. That made a big difference.”

Viji revealed in a May 2020 Instagram post that director Akhil Sathyan “found” her while searching for someone to play the role of Ummachi in Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum. She had also mentioned that the story of how he found her was “for another day”. When we asked her if we could consider today as the ‘another day’ and narrate the story, she burst into laughter and agreed to tell it. “Akhil had briefed the casting director about the character. My friend and Bengali actor-cum-dancer Sreenanda Shankar does makeovers and one day she told me that she wanted to do a makeover for me. I like to try out such fun stuff. So, we met at a common friend’s house and she made me undergo a complete makeover. She used colours I never use. I usually don’t apply makeup on my face. But I sat through it since it was fun and we clicked photos of me in that look and posted it on Instagram. That was the photograph Akhil came across and it matched Ummachi’s look he had in his mind.”

Though the shooting for the film began in 2020 it got delayed owing to the Covid outbreak, and the team could resume it only in 2022. Finally, after a three-year wait, the movie has been released. When asked about her excitement to see herself on the big screen, Viji says, “It’s very surreal! I knew that it was going to be something really stupendous. As I mentioned earlier, it’s like a dream I never dreamt of coming true. I almost couldn’t sleep the night before the release of the film. I was so excited.”

Reflecting on working alongside accomplished Malayalam actors, Viji shares with indianexpress.com, “It was amazing to work with artistes like Vineeth, Fahadh Faasil, Mukesh, Shanthi Krishna, and others. The first time I met Mukesh on the set, he hugged me and said, ‘Welcome to Malayalam cinema.’ That is how everybody has been. I specifically remember this one moment with Vineeth… We were shooting a mother-son reconciliation scene, and I messed up every single line. There were so many takes. But Vineeth saw me through and said, ‘This happens all the time. It happens to everybody.’ As for Fahad, I must be like his oldest fan. He comes into the frame and changes everything. He too is very kind and very considerate.”

Viji Venkatesh also attests that she has always been a big film lover. “And I love Malayalam films! Had it been from some other language that this offer came my way, I would not have made the effort. My whole family is passionate about films and appreciates cinema. The best part is that it has brought so much happiness to my 96-year-old mother. She’s overjoyed and proud of me, and it has brought us so much joy.”

As mentioned earlier, Viji has been associated with various cancer patient care organisations for the last 36 years. She started working for the cause after joining a non-profit as a fundraiser. The deaths of her grandmother and mother-in-law from cancer played a major role in her decision to choose this career path. “My grandmother was diagnosed with oesophagal cancer when I was around 16 or 17. I accompanied her for radiation and treatment at AIIMS. My mother-in-law had lung cancer. She survived for about nine months. As the daughter-in-law of the house, I took care of her. I can’t say that these experiences inspired me to join the cause, but they did influence and shape my attitude towards patients.”

When asked how she has remained upbeat about it all for three decades, she responds, “That’s how my patients view life. They have such incredible courage and are so full of life. Nearly all patients have shared with me how their experiences with cancer have changed the way they view life and the way they view themselves. It may sound strange, but I always feel that doing something that impacts someone who is receiving treatment for a life-limiting or life-altering condition makes you feel happy that you were able to help.”

Viji Venkatesh and others during one of the seasons of Chai for Cancer.

Chai for Cancer, Viji’s brainchild, was created to help cancer patients from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Although there are a few exceptions, such as one of her co-stars in Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum (late) Innocent, cancer is still one of those diseases that has a lot of taboo associated with it, even among the elite and the urban population. Those affected by it or their kin rarely speak about their fight against the disease. “Yes, there is still a lot of stigma surrounding cancer, and nobody speaks openly about it. At the Max Foundation, our fundamental responsibility is to make sure that our patients may live with hope and respect. So they divulge their deepest fears. I’d like to think that what I do has an impact on their lives. Since there is still a stigma, fear, misconceptions, and a feeling of isolation attached to cancer, every two steps you take forward are followed by a step back. And nobody wants to talk about it. People want to conceal anything having to do with their health, not just cancer. And I think it’s okay if you don’t want people to know. Nobody needs to know if you are undergoing treatment for any condition. However, if you are keeping quiet because you are afraid of what it might do, that silence becomes a burden for you to bear. That is more concerning than the illness. Thus, it is extremely complex.”

“However, even though I devote a lot of my time, effort, and resources to helping those with cancer, working in the field rewards you in ways that far outweigh what you put in,” she continues, mentioning how some of her patients travelled all the way from Kozhikode to Kochi to meet her and watch the movie with her. “It’s very rewarding and satisfying because you know you are making a difference,” she says.

We were also curious to learn how organisations like Chai for Cancer and Friends of Max continue to raise money in a world where there are numerous support networks and fundraising websites, but not all of them are likely to be reliable. “It is not easy! So I made the choice to speak with individuals personally. I approach my friends, relatives, neighbours, coworkers, and regular folks to introduce myself and explain that this is not some glitzy fundraising event with gala shows, lavish dinners, or celebrity participation. My patients are my celebrities. I want to move things along in a very simple manner. Therefore, we approach many people and ask them for small donations rather than asking a small number of people for a large sum of money. And when someone gives you money, they’ll want to know or see what you’re using the funds for. I am quite transparent as a result. We don’t make any more purchases. Every rupee contributes to the goal for which we raise money.”

“Occasionally, some of the patients’ needs may seem trivial to others. For instance, some patients would have to decide between paying for their consultations and their child’s school expenses. Since they must miss work for one day to complete follow-up tests, they occasionally have to forgo monitoring tests in order to feed their families. They all labour for a daily rate and will forfeit one day’s income if they skip work. Additionally, they might not be in a position to afford train tickets to get to the hospital. So I also raise money for these costs. Although they may seem insignificant, these have a significant impact on their lives. I’m just about to launch Chai for Cancer’s 10th season. I never thought it would last this long, but it did. I also use social media to the fullest extent to connect with people and supporters, and it’s a fantastic platform for raising awareness.”