An RJ-turned-comedian-turned-TV host-turned-content creator-turned-actor; however, one thing Danish Sait has not turned into is unoriginal. This is precisely why you see his face pretty much everywhere these days, from Instagram and Royal Challengers Bangalore’s official social media handles to the Koffee With Karan couch.
But, when The Indian Express caught up with him in Kochi, he was actively promoting his new avatar — a role he has high hopes for and can’t wait for people to watch. Marking his debut in the Malayalam film industry, Danish is playing a key role in Lijo Jose Pellissery’s period fantasy film Malaikottai Vaaliban, starring Mohanlal in the lead. Set to hit the screens on January 25, 2024, Malaikottai Vaaliban is one of the most anticipated Indian films of the year.
“It’s cinema,” Danish enthusiastically declares about the LJP directorial. “In all honesty, everything in Malaikottai Vaaliban is absolutely mind-blowing.”
On battling loneliness on the film’s set
“I remember a particular instance during our filming in Pokhran, approximately a month and a half into our shooting journey from Jaisalmer. I was nearing a point of mental breakdown due to the loneliness. The shoot was physically and mentally demanding and I’m not saying this just for myself; it was a challenging experience for everyone involved. Being away from my family for an extended period and the impracticality of our families visiting, added to the difficulty. We were shooting in an old fort. So, I approached Lijo and shared my mental struggles. He acknowledged it and invited me to meet him later that evening.”
“I later visited his room, where he showed me the rough edit of the first 10 minutes of the film. I went back feeling energised. I called my wife and told her that though I was feeling very down, those visuals showed me what I was working towards. I realised this was not vanilla but a black swan event. It’s a once-in-a-generation experience, stunning, and unlike anything I’ve ever seen. With the release of the trailer, everyone is buzzing about the visuals — the very same visuals that uplifted me.”
Lijo Jose Pellissery’s period fantasy film Malaikottai Vaaliban, starring Mohanlal in the lead role, hits the screens on January 25. (Image: Danish Sait/Facebook)
“Every person involved in this film, both in front of and behind the camera, has contributed equally to the hard work. Despite our diverse backgrounds and origins, we collaborated diligently on this project. We all placed our trust in Lijo,” he adds.
‘Never been presented with a more nuanced character brief’
Reflecting on his decision to join the movie, Danish Sait mentions that, prior to Malaikottai Vaaliban, he had never encountered a more nuanced character brief. “It was an 8-10-slide PowerPoint presentation converted to PDF that was sent to me. It included references for me to watch, details about the character and a comprehensive overview of the character’s journey, among other things.”
“Yes, I’ve done stuff digitally, I’m available online, I make videos, and so on, and I am aware of what my primary profession is. But when you are switching to this genre, which is drama, you’re not performing for just 60 seconds or a minute or three. Here, you are performing in a film where you have to keep growing. There’s an arc, a fall, a peak, a trough and more. Sometime in 2021, I had already begun envisioning stepping into the space of drama.”
“I have always been mesmerised by Bob Odenkirk, who played Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul. Odenkirk’s book Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama detailing his journey from sketch comedy to drama and how he got into the character of Saul Goodman, profoundly impacted me. It made me realise this was a path I wished to pursue. So, Lijo coming into my life felt like a godsend.”
Meeting Mohanlal for the first time
On working with Mohanlal and sharing the screen with him for the first time, Danish explains that establishing rapport with the Malayalam superstar was effortless and organic. “From my experience of working with icons like Virat Kohli, Puneeth Rajkumar, AB de Villiers, etc, and meeting them at very close quarters, I have noticed that the responsibility for creating a comfortable atmosphere doesn’t fall on the person interacting with them; instead, it, unfortunately, rests with them. And I have realised that all these people are icons because they make you comfortable,” he observes.
On working with Mohanlal and sharing the screen with him for the first time, Danish Sait explains that establishing rapport with the Malayalam superstar was effortless and organic. (Image: Danish Sait/Facebook)
“The first time I met Mohanlal was on the first day I landed in Jaisalmer. I first met Lijo and informed him that I had reported for duty. Then I saw Mohanlal walking out after giving a shot, and I went up to him and introduced myself, and he said, ‘Welcome to the family.’ That was enough because it was so warm. Later, after he watched some rushes of the film, Mohanlal reached out to commend me, pinpointing specific instances,” Danish says, emphasising that these interactions, along with similar supportive gestures from cinematographer Madhu Neelakandan, significantly contributed to boosting his confidence.
‘I was the most underqualified guy to be on that set’
“I will tell you this with full confidence: I was the most underqualified guy to be on that set. Everyone else involved has excelled in some aspect of filmmaking. Some have won state awards, while others have received national awards. Despite their achievements, they were all very chill and generous. Also, working with such large set pieces and numerous artistes, I didn’t want to be that guy who messed up everything. When working on such a scale, if one person makes a mistake, the entire process has to be reset. Therefore, I made a concerted effort to avoid being the cause of any such setbacks.”
Recalling that he never returned to his vanity van after completing his scenes or during breaks, Danish shares that he devoted all his time on the sets, closely watching the different facets of the creation of Malaikottai Vaaliban. He pondered, “Where else on Earth and for what cost would you get to see, up close, the making of a film by one of India’s most talented directors? So, I remained seated, observing every detail of his actions. The entire process and the film itself are dream-like. I will be eternally grateful to Lijo for the rest of my life for this opportunity because he saw something in me that I hadn’t seen in myself,” he concludes.
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