There have been instances in celluloid history where some actors who begin on a stiff note, evolve with a mind-blowing graph in their acting career later on. Many great actors’ craft that we enjoy today have had a past where they began raw and uneven. Along the course of their career, they transitioned into their peaks enriching the screen with their talent galore. I’ve come to admire that graph of learning a lot and most of my favorites on screen are slow-burn talents. Now I have a new addition to that list, cine artist, Dr. Binny Sebastian.
Binny began her acting career with a small role in a Malayalam film Thoppil Joppan starring Mammootty. Later she focused on her medical degree and work life taking a hiatus from acting ambitions. After her marriage to cine artist Noobin Johny she forayed back to the screen as the lead heroine of the now-running Malayalam soap opera, Geetha Govindam aired on the Asianet channel. She essays a bold character, Geetanjali, an IAS aspirant who has a no-nonsense approach to life. In lieu of the current serial heroine template of a responsible daughter, devoted lover and sassy when faced with hurdles mould, Binny has landed a character that allows her length and breadth to showcase her potential.
But in the initial episodes, Binny’s pitch was off; her face was too eager to translate emotions and her body language was not oblivious to the tension that swam through her as she learnt the ropes of the profession. She was trying to act as she stood before the camera and that was glaringly evident. She received brickbats as she soldiered through the scenes opposite Sajan Sooreya, who is a pro at realistic acting. The contrast was obvious as perfection and imperfection kept meshing causing an unpleasant friction on screen instead of the chemistry they were aiming at.
But as the episodes counted itself up, there was a sudden upswing in Binny’s craft. The consciousness evaporated gradually and she found her ease with the camera. Suddenly her aura translated with vigor and the beauty intensified not just in her appearance but also in her craft.
Her eyes shone with confidence as she now faced her effortless screen partner (Sajan Sooreya) and voila there was an explosion of chemistry as both the actors found the right intonation for their combination scenes. As the lead pair, they were presented with scenes that ranged from romance to comedy and angst. This time around they meshed with their talent and the friction resulted in a beautiful symphony.
Comedy is not easy but when you see Binny delivering some expressions, you’d want to believe so. Her face is lit with a loudness that resonates with the acting tonality of a soap opera but never once does the balance falter. She is a live wire in comic scenes. Gifted with an arresting screen presence, Binny engulfs us in her charisma every time she is on the screen.
There is a dialogue in the serial which goes “She wields her orbs as if they are swords” and that holds true. When presented with intense scenes, Binny transforms herself and suddenly her gaze starts speaking a sharp language. You can read the dialogue there before the words begin at her lips. Actors who can emote with their eyes always stand out and Binny is endowed in that department. When she comes face to face with her lover in the show after a gap, the happiness that glimmers in her eyes is hardly imitable.
Binny breathes depth into her character even as the scene setting or dialogues limit her. Even when there is no space to convey the character’s state of mind, she translates it through her body language or gaze helping us connect with the character’s essence. She is lending a definitive voice to her character with her craft that despite the ups and downs in the character arc, Binny as Geetanjali feels real.
This is her first full-fledged work and the portfolio she is setting with it is promising. While there is scope for improvement, the prelude of this actor’s craft is intriguing. There is no scarcity of talents per se, but artists who keep evolving and are consistent with that commitment to evolve will always scale loftier heights. Seems like Dr. Binny Sebastian would belong to that coveted category with the route she has embarked on. Let’s wait and watch. Until then hurray to her stupendous work so far.
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