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Enjoying showbiz spotlight

Even as a child of seven or eight, Aadil showed an interest in films, mimicking actors.

There is a certain level of seriousness between the brother and sister. That is probably because they are giving an interview together. “Why don’t you tell her about 7 Rathrikal?” Aadil Mohammed asks Amika. That is a television series she had played a major character in, before her first film Khalifa. “Oh yes,” Amika Mariam Mohammed says, adding, “I played Ammu in it.” The little girl is in Class VII, taking a little time off before an exam on Monday. Her brother has just started going to Class XII. Too young to have any airs about them, the siblings easily talk about their slow growth in show biz, with the help of a supportive dad, Faizal Mohammed.

Even as a child of seven or eight, Aadil showed interest in films, mimicking actors with the help of his elder brother, Aleef, who is now a law student. “His interest is in singing. All three of us sing together on stages,” says Aadil, going on to sing a Hindi song without the least bit of inhibition.

He had started much too early to know stage fear. Aadil went for fashion shows when he was in Class IV, training under fashion designer Dalu for a workshop meant for adults. He won fashion contests as a child and began acting in television with a children’s series called Kunjikoonan. Sreekrishnan, Amma, all followed before he made an entry into films with Trivandrum Lodge. “That was a small scene where I give a dirty magazine to a teacher,” says the boy. But that brought on a close connection with actor Anoop Menon who took him on board for David & Goliath, and later The Dolphins. He got to play major characters in Madirasi, Mayapuri 3D and as Mukesh’s son in Karmayodha, starring Mohanlal. There was no combination with Lalettan, but he got to spend time with his most favourite actor later, Aadil says happily.

Aadil went on to do more television series, the ongoing one being Parasparam. “I play Nandu in it. Amika also plays a role in it as Ann.” Aadil is very supportive, his sister says. He goes to her sets too. It is he who speaks about her movie Khalifa, in which she is the youngest child of a poor man played by Nedumudi Venu. “Youngest and his favourite,” Aadil says. Soft-spoken Amika says she used to be nervous, but that’s all over now. Starting with the TV series Ishtam, and then fashion shows, like her brother, Amika also turns into an occasion model for ads.

There are no actors in the family. But their mother’s father Mohammed Abdul Rashid had been a great movie lover and would get them to watch a lot of films. “He passed away just three weeks ago,” Aadil says. But not before watching his grandchildren’s work and being quite happy about it. Just as encouraging is their techie dad Faizal and homemaker mother Shafeena. The other grandfather, late P.S. Habeeb Mohammed was an IAS officer, the first Muslim direct recruit into IAS from Kerala.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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