Interview | Lijomol Jose: ‘Jai Bhim’ gave me the confidence to be an actor
Actor Lijomol Jose discusses her career trajectory and her role in the new film 'Unmadham'. She reflects on her transition from an introverted newcomer to an award-winning performer in Tamil and Malayalam cinema.
Why it matters
The interview provides insight into the evolving landscape of South Indian cinema and the career development of acclaimed regional actors.
Lijomol Jose cannot make up her mind about whether she is an accidental actor or a reluctant one. She bursts out laughing as she says , “I don’t know…maybe a reluctantly accidental actor?” As Unmadham reaches theatres today, the self-confessedly ‘extremely introverted’ actor is doing a flash back on what led her to a career in films.
Best known among her roles are those in films like Jai Bhim and Ponman , apart from her debut film Maheshinte Prathikaaram (2016).
Steffi in Ponman was a breakout of sorts. The 2025 film, inspired by GR Indugopan’s novel Naalanchu Cheruppakaar and directed by Jothish Sankar, gave her space to prove her acting chops and how. Pitched against Basil Joseph, Lijo was noticed for her portrayal of the brusque and no-nonsense Steffi, whose motto seemed to be self preservation at any cost.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in