Who is the real heroine? Susan, Durga, Bindu, Rohini… many names, many disguises, many regions, different grooms each time. In Pennu Case, directed by Febin Siddharth, it is Nikhila Vimal who appears as all these “heroines.” She plays a character who cheats men through marriage fraud from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod and then disappears. Nikhila Vimal talks about Pennukesu, her first film to be released in 2026.

Pennu Case is a woman-centric story. How do you see the lead role?

Although it is the lead role, I never felt it was a “female subject” in that sense. A lead role certainly carries more responsibility, but Pennu Case is a film with many actors. Hakim Shahjahan, Ramesh Pisharody, Aju Varghese, Irshad—all of them are part of it. Hakim Shahjahan plays a character that is just as important as mine. Since there are so many artists, the responsibility of being the lead did not feel burdensome. I never felt anxious that the story was entirely centered on me. I approached this film with the same sense of responsibility with which I approach any role.

Why Pennu Case?

Even though it has a female subject, it is not a film told from the usual female perspective we often see. The way this subject is handled is different. Along with that, the story also speaks about a group of men who fall victim to fraud. A film that tells the life story of a woman who carries out such scams felt interesting. Moreover, the story is told from my character’s point of view, which was another reason I chose this film.

Many names and many disguises. What kind of preparation went into it?

I usually do some preparation before most films, but this is the first time I am portraying so many characters together. So I did make specific preparations for this film. Each character is different—not just in name, but in the way they are portrayed. Their emotions and body language are all different. Nothing should feel repetitive. I tried to make Durga, Rohini, Bindu, Susan, and the others as distinct as possible. I attended three days of character coaching to bring that variation. The training was given by acting trainer Ajith Lal. Director Febin Siddharth got the idea for the film from a newspaper report, so I also tried to observe by reading and watching similar news stories.

Even though you are the main character, she is a fraudster. Did the negative shade worry you?

I thought about the negative shade only when others mentioned it during promotions. While listening to the script, I never thought of it that way. People who carry out such scams do exist in our society. They too have lives and stories.

In the film, your characters appear mostly in bridal looks. Could you talk about that?

Usually, shooting a wedding scene in films takes two or three days and then it’s done. But in Pennu Case, we had to shoot weddings repeatedly. I appear in 14 different wedding looks. The whole wedding process was enjoyable. Choosing saris and jewellery itself takes time, and for each wedding, the sari and ornaments had to be different. Just getting ready as a bride would take around two hours. Then comes the waiting for the shoot in that costume. Once the wedding scene is shot, that look is done. But reaching that stage can be a bit tiring. Still, I truly enjoyed doing it.

Roles you wish to do

I want to do as many different kinds of characters as possible. I like doing comedy. I also wish to act in horror films.

Upcoming projects

One of my upcoming films is Ananthankadu, which will be released in Malayalam and Tamil. The film is directed by Jiyen Krishnakumar, based on a script by Murali Gopy, with Tamil actor Arya as the hero. Actors from Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu cinema are also part of the film. Another project is Dhoomakethu, directed by Sudhi Madison, which is currently being shot. Two web series are also coming up: Anali, directed by Mithun Manuel Thomas, and Ice, directed by Manu Ashokan.