Tovino Thomas
IT’S A Monday morning and the glistening backwaters of Kochi stare at us from below. Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty is the perfect venue for this interview. An equally meditative view greets us in the living room as Tovino Thomas silently goes about brewing a strong cup of espresso and settles down on the sofa, silently contemplating the day ahead. “I like to keep things real. It’s easy to start thinking of yourself as a star and become someone you’re not. But that’s something that I had willed to myself right at the beginning of my career; I want to keep things simple,” says the current reigning sensation of Malayalam films. “Yes, Tovino chetta is known for his impromptu visits to neighbourhood parotta shops and hole-in-the-wall places that sell kattan chaya,” interjects Vikas, the hairstylist for the day.
“I have seen many pictures of Tovino chetta at various kutty (small) local eateries, on social media,” he adds, offering us a further glimpse at the ways of the actor. “My friends are the same guys I went to school and college with. I also have a couple of buddies from my IT days in Chennai. We’re close knit and these are people I can bare my soul to. Otherwise, I’m quite reticent and like to concentrate on work,” he smiles, almost reminding you of Matthan, the role he essayed in the 2018 superhit, Mayaanadhi.
At which point we jokingly point out how most actors in the industry seem to come from an engineering background like it’s almost a prerequisite to be in films. “Yeah, my story pretty much reads the same, too. I did it for the sake of my parents,” acknowledges Tovino. So how did this small-town boy from a conservative and academically-oriented Christian household make his way into the world of films?
This story is from the November 2019 edition of PROVOKE Lifestyle.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2019 edition of PROVOKE Lifestyle.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
We Drive The Coolest SUVs In India
Style Is An Integral Aspect In Terms Of Choosing A New Car And These Days, Many New Cars Are Integrating Clever Design Touches In Their Overall Proportions. Gone Are The Days Of Over Styling Your Car As These Days It Is All About Minimalism. Hence, We Drive Two Cars That Embrace This Design Theosophy The Most.
FLAVOURSCAPE
IRIDA SKKY LOUNGE IS FOR THOSE SPECIAL MOMENTS WHEN YOU WANT TO JUST LET GO
Checkmating Tradition: How Praggnanandhaa is Changing the Game
MEET RAMESHBABU PRAGGNANANDHAA, A NAME SYNONYMOUS WITH BRILLIANCE BOTH ON AND OFF THE CHESSBOARD. AT JUST 18 YEARS OLD, PRAGGNANANDHAA HAS ALREADY LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THE WORLD OF CHESS, ACHIEVING THE ESTEEMED TITLE OF GRANDMASTER AT A REMARKABLY YOUNG AGE. BUT BEYOND HIS EXCEPTIONAL TALENT IN THE REALM OF CHESS LIES A MULTIFACETED INDIVIDUAL WITH A WEALTH OF INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCES. IN THIS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, WE DELVE INTO THE LIFE OF PRAGGNANANDHAA, EXPLORING HIS PASSIONS, REFLECTIONS ON HIS JOURNEY, AND ASPIRATIONS FOR THE FUTURE. JOIN US AS WE UNCOVER THE LAYERS OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY PRODIGY AND GAIN INSIGHT INTO THE MIND OF A TRUE CHESS PHENOMENON.
Chennai's Number One
EXPLORING BLADE SHANKAR’S JOURNEY OF TURNING ORDINARY SITUATIONS INTO COMEDIC GOLD
RHYTHMS, RHYMES & THE RISING STAR
TÊTE-À-TÊTE WITH NAVZ-47, TRACING HER JOURNEY FROM HER ROOTS IN COLOMBO TO BECOMING A RISING STAR IN THE GLOBAL RAP SCENE, SHOWCASING HER RESILIENCE, PASSION FOR MUSIC, AND DEEP CONNECTION TO TAMIL CULTURE ALONG THE WAY
The Rise of Female Rap in India
MEET IRFANA HAMEED, THE GROUNDBREAKING RAPPER AND SINGER FROM KODAIKANAL, WHO HAS MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST FEMALE ARTIST SIGNED BY DEF JAM RECORDINGS INDIA LABEL. WITH HER INFECTIOUS TUNES AND CHARMING STAGE PRESENCE, SHE ADDRESSES VITAL ISSUES SUCH AS TAMIL AND MUSLIM CULTURE, AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT THROUGH HER MUSIC. HER DISCOGRAPHY EXPLORES INTO THOUGHTPROVOKING THEMES, INCLUDING ANTI-FASCISM AND FEMININITY, RESONATING WITH AUDIENCES WORLDWIDE. LEARN MORE ABOUT HER JOURNEY AND ASPIRATIONS IN OUR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW.
The Queen of Comedy Unveiled
DEVADARSHINI, A SEASONED VETERAN OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, BOASTS AN IMPRESSIVE RESUME ADORNED WITH ACCOLADES SUCH AS THE PRESTIGIOUS KALAIMAMANI AWARD AND THE TAMIL NADU STATE FILM AWARDS FOR BEST COMEDIAN, A REMARKABLE FEAT ACHIEVED THRICE. WITH A CAREER SPANNING 27 ILLUSTRIOUS YEARS, SHE HAS LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON CINEMA, HAVING GRACED THE SCREENS IN OVER 120 FILMS ACROSS MULTIPLE LANGUAGES INCLUDING TAMIL, TELUGU, KANNADA, MALAYALAM, AND HINDI. BEYOND HER PROWESS ON SCREEN, DEVADARSHINI BRINGS DEPTH TO HER PERSONA WITH THREE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A COUNSELLOR AND THERAPIST. HER HOLISTIC APPROACH TO HEALING EXTENDS TO HER PRACTICE OF REIKI AND BACH FLOWER THERAPY, WITH A DECADE OF DEDICATED EXPERTISE. FROM HER RIBTICKLING PERFORMANCES IN THE ICONIC RAMANY VS RAMANY” SERIAL TO HER UPROARIOUS ANTICS IN THE BLOCKBUSTER KANCHANA,” DEVADARSHINI HAS ENDEARED HERSELF TO AUDIENCES, LEAVING THEM IN STITCHES WITH HER SIGNATURE SLAPSTICK COMEDY. LET’S GET TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HER IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW FOR PROVOKE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
COPS, CATASTROPHES 2 CHAOS
A COP'S MASALA MEMOIR OF MADNESS
TAMIL CINEMA'S COMIC GEM
LET’S DISCOVER DELHI GANESH’S UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON HUMOUR IN TAMIL CINEMA AND UNRAVEL THE LAYERS OF HIS ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER
PARENTING Cultural Exchange
WE ARE LUCKY TO LIVE IN A TIME WHEN WE CAN CHERRY-PICK THE BEST PRACTICES FROM VARIOUS CULTURES TO CREATE OUR IDEAL LIFE. WHAT BETTER AREA TO APPLY THIS TO THAN PARENTING? READ ON FOR THE BEST PARENTING HABITS THAT INDIANS AND AMERICANS CAN EXCHANGE WITH EACH OTHER!
