Baby Mol to Bollywood

Anna Ben on her upcoming film Yakshi and how her core belief in her roles fuels her performances

- By SREENIDHI VIJAY

The other day Malayalam actor Anna Ben found herself in a room where legends convene. At a prestigious roundtable a few months ago, she sat beside Shabana Azmi, a titan with five decades of cinematic mastery, and Kareena Kapoor Khan, the star who has reigned Bollywood for 25 years. It wasn’t just a seat at the table—it was a statement the meteoric ascent of an actor with just 10 films behind her; this moment underscored the undeniable impact of her craft.

Anna has now landed a role in an Indo-American production titled Yakshi with actor Babil Khan. “This was truly written in the stars,” she says. This seems a natural transition, a pan-Indian movie for the actor who won acclaim with Kottukkaali, her Tamil debut last August. In a haunting 100-minute narrative, Anna commands the screen with just one dialogue, delivering a performance so raw, so gripping, it lingers in the mind long after the credits roll. No wonder critics said, “Anna—Another Level of Talent.”