'Acting helped me get out of my comfort zone'

For singer-actress Madonna Sebastian, the past one year has been about stepping out of her comfort zone. She never thought she would act in a movie, let alone have a massive fan base thanks to her blockbuster debut Premam.
In a candid chat on the sets of her latest movie King Liar, the actress tells us about why singing still remains her passion, how she has become more confident post her film debut, and how she views her newfound celebrity status.
How has life changed after Premam?
I never thought I would act in a movie before Premam. I was interested in music since I was a kid but never considered it as a safe option, until I realised one day that I can’t do a desk job. That pushed me to pursue music and I spent almost a year trying to develop my singing skills. It was not a very easy life because it is really difficult to establish yourself as a singer. At that time, the only thing I was sure of was that I wanted to be a singer. The rest sort of happened. I had worked with four TV channels as an anchor and that’s how director Alphonse Putharen spotted me.
And after Premam, my life changed drastically. Today I am hoping that my movies are going to help me in singing as well. So that one day even if I have to stop acting, which I will have to, I can still pursue music.
And how has acting changed you as a person?
Acting has actually helped me get out of my comfort zone. I was never the outgoing type, wasn’t even a very confident person. Though I had an idea of what I wanted to do, I never knew how to reach there. But today as an actress I am expected to perform and it’s liberating in a way. For instance, when I am shooting a scene and the team wants me to act in a certain way, I like to meet that expectation and make them happy. So in a way, acting has set me free.
Do you enjoy fame?
I am fortunate to have got Premam as my first movie because today people recognise me as Celine. In a way, it’s good and in a way, I am a little freaked out because I am not an extrovert. I can only smile. I can’t hold a conversation for long. But I do enjoy it because today I get more opportunities for work, whether music or acting.
How supportive has your family been in your career?
My parents have always been supportive of my singing. I did my B Com in Christ University, Bangalore, and after that stint I have turned quite independent. My parents are completely okay with that, and are happy with whatever I am doing because it’s working for me right now. They let me be.
After Premam, you also did a Tamil movie Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum. How was that experience?
The team of my Tamil movie and that of Premam were similar in the sense they comprised youngsters and newcomers. Its lead actor Vijay Sethupati helped me with emoting as I have to exaggerate a bit in Tamil, unlike in the Malayalam film industry. Also, I had a lot more to do in the Tamil movie than in Premam. We had 50 days of shoot in Chennai. The film has a breezy story about friendships and love.
Tell us about being part of Siddique-Lal’s King Liar
The team of King Liar is totally different from that of Premam. Everyone involved has a lot of experience and they know exactly what they want. It’s exciting and at the same time, a little intimidating. I have just completed about a week of filming and every day I’m learning something new.
Have you signed any other projects? No. I want to wait till my Tamil movie and King Liar are released. I also want to focus on music and we are re-launching our band ‘Ever After’. There are six of us now but we might feature new artistes as we perform. We focus on ambient rock genre. We basically perform our own songs but for live shows we might do covers as well. We are planning to go live soon. I cannot live without music. I am not a great singer as yet. I have a long way to go and I would love to develop my skills.