The inimitable Nivin Pauly

Extraordinarily deafening roars and whistles were heard as I entered the theatre with my family to watch the movie Premam.
As the movie started, whistles along with thunderous applause continued and it became even louder when the hero Nivin Pauly arrived on screen. The anticipation around his introduction sequence set everyone’s heart thumping with enormous anticipation. (That’s the usual scene you witness these days if you are watching a Nivin Pauly film).
Hearing the noise, my son began to dance to the tune, cheering as he clearly enjoyed every bit of the film. Such is the adulation garnered by Nivin Pauly, South India’s newest young superstar, who is already making waves across the globe.
In a career spanning over just six years, Nivin has reached a height not everyone at his age can dream of. From a simple ‘boy next-door’ in Bangalore Days to a romantic hero in Premam, Nivin has come a long way. As an actor Nivin is wholly himself, unflappable, and a Malayali to boot.
A fan from Poland recently created a rage on social media when she uploaded a poster stating that Nivin is her favourite actor. It once again showed that his popularity has reached beyond Kerala. His movies are watched in packed theatres that one has to wait for days to get into. So what makes Nivin Pauly so special?
“No doubt his charm,” said Ansar Salam, who is a hardcore fan of the Premam star. “He is arguably the biggest star after Mohanlal and Mammootty (the other two superstars from Kerala),” claimed Ansar with a smile.

Widely adored
Few Malayalis have been as widely adored. None has so painstakingly chiselled his way to greatness. Filmmaker Vineeth Sreenivasan, who first introduced Nivin in Malarvadi Arts Club, had this to say: “He is always a delight to watch on screen.” “I think the reason why Nivin has reached such a height in a short span is because of his hard work.” For Vineeth, Nivin is a “lucky charm” and he doesn’t shy away from casting the popular actor in his movies.
“Every time when I sit to write a film and create a character, it’s his face that comes to my mind always,” Vineeth stated.
His recent directorial venture Jacobinte Swargarajyam starring Nivin is already a blockbuster as the film just completed 100days in the theatres.Nearly everyone comes from somewhere; some lineage, some school. What about Nivin Pauly? One fine day, he turned up on movie screens fully formed, untouched by influence, wholly and wonderfully himself.
For ace cinematographer Jomon T. John, the actor’s simplicity is his identity. “He is someone who carries himself with exceptional simplicity and modesty in real life. It is a privilege to work with him,” John added.
For someone who has brought immense excitement to South Indian cinema in the last few years, Nivin’s story is not overly dramatic. The story is outstanding than simple drama: Small-town boy becomes one of the finest actors in India today. It’s truly an inspirational story for budding actors.