'Crew Member Volunteered His 3-Day-Old Newborn For Key Scenes’: Baby Girl Director Shares Biggest Challenge & More From Nivin Pauly Starrer

Hyderabad: Baby Girl, directed by Arun Varma, is an upcoming Malayalam film inspired by two real-life incidents from Kerala. The film stars Nivin Pauly in the lead role and is written by the Bobby-Sanjay duo. It is scheduled to release in theatres on January 23.

The film marks Arun Varma's second directorial after the superhit Garudan. Speaking exclusively to ETV Bharat's Akhil Vinayak while the film is in its final post-production stage, the director shared details about the film, the collaboration with senior writers, Nivin Pauly's involvement, and the major challenges faced during shooting.

Story Based On Real Incidents

Baby Girl is a tale about a newborn baby who goes missing from a state-run hospital. The film explores whether the baby will be found and how a hospital employee comes under suspicion. The trailer hints that major events unfold in the baby's life within just two to three days of birth.

Arun Varma said, "I am careful not to reveal too much about the story because the release is just days away. I don't want to affect the audience's experience."

Arun Varma (Photo: Special Arrangement)

Working With Bobby-Sanjay

"I started working with Bobby-Sanjay even before Garudan," he said. "Sanjay had given suggestions to improve Garudan's script, and through regular discussions, we developed a strong professional bond. After Garudan, the idea for Baby Girl came quickly and became a full project."

"Working with them is a huge learning experience. I feel blessed to have collaborated with senior writers early in my career. I had also worked with Midhun Manuel Thomas on Garudan, which gave me valuable experience," he said.

Equal Collaboration

Arun said, "Bobby-Sanjay never treated my lack of experience as a problem. They shared their ideas openly and allowed me full freedom to give input. It's rare for senior writers to trust a new director so completely. Baby Girl is truly a result of equal collaboration."

He added, "Even though I have written scripts before, observing their process helped me understand how to structure films for both younger and older audiences. Their writing evolves through detailed discussions, making the script a real team effort."

Baby Girl (Photo: Film Poster)

How Nivin Pauly Joined The Film

"Initially, we planned the film with another actor. But due to scheduling issues, we approached Nivin Pauly late, and fortunately, he agreed. We made small changes to the script for him, and they worked very well. Everything fell into place at the right time," he said.

Story Comes First

"Although Nivin has faced a challenging phase in his career, his fans have always supported him. Baby Girl came at a time when he needed a strong single-hero film. But in this movie, the story is more important than the star. Nivin understood the subject's importance and agreed because it is relevant today," he said.

Experience With Senior Actors

"I worked with Suresh Gopi and Biju Menon in Garudan. All three actors, Suresh, Biju, and Nivin, fully trusted me and never created pressure on set. Even as a newcomer, I was never treated differently. They listened carefully to my vision and gave their best performances."

"I was nervous working with Suresh Gopi initially, but within two days, I felt comfortable. I now consider him a mentor and often seek his advice. Biju Menon is one of the finest actors in Malayalam cinema. He is very supportive and always helps improve the scene."

"Regarding Nivin, he is an expert in subtle acting. On set, his performance may look understated, but during editing, it appears perfect. He carefully understands the character and performs precisely, without overacting."

Film's Biggest Challenge: Casting A Newborn

"We had a tough time finding a newborn for our shoot. The script required a baby only two or three days old. At first, we thought it would be easy, but as the shoot approached, we realised very few parents would allow it. Around that time, we learned that our line producer Akhil Yashodharan's wife was expecting, with the delivery due during the shooting schedule," he said.

Baby Girl (Photo: Film Poster)

A Rare And Emotional Decision

"We couldn't ask Akhil to give his newborn for the film. But he offered it himself, understanding the situation. Even then, we hesitated because the baby would be only two or three days old. There were concerns about health, immunity, and safety."

"We asked Akhil to take permission from his wife and family. Even after approval, we planned strict safety measures and extra precautions during filming to protect the baby," he said.

Baby Girl is set to release in theatres on January 23.