It has been a lifelong goal for content creator Shelvin James to play the quintessential best friend on the big screen. Following a decade-long career making sketches on social media and carving his own niche fanbase, the 29-year-old believes he has finally achieved that, as he revels in praise for his role as Prashant Raj aka Parashu in Athiradi, headlined by Basil Joseph.

Shelvin’s Parashu, in his first full-length role, is the ideal confidante to Basil’s Sam Kutty. He champions his friend irrespective of the irrational endeavours he embarks on, making people laugh with his retorts and reactions on screen. “I am happy that everyone has accepted the character. The response I get are mostly that they wish they had someone like a Parashu in their lives or that they are the Parashu in their gang,” says Shelvin, over phone from Chennai, during the busy schedule of film promotions.

Athiradi, directed and co-written by Arun Anirudhan, follows Sam, who wants to reintroduce the Arohan Fest in his college following its suspension due to a tragic accident which happened a few years ago. However, he locks horns with Sreekuttan Vellayani, a local goon-turned-musician, played by Tovino Thomas, who wants to ruin his plans.

“When I heard that I was chosen for the role, it was a very emotional moment for me. I started celebrating like how Nani’s character in Jersey rejoices, while at a railway station, when he is selected to the State cricket team,” recalls Shelvin, who also works as a content lead at a creative media agency in Kochi.

The Kottayam-born creator was told that his combination with Basil should aim to recreate the vibe of the iconic Mohanlal-Mukesh combo featured in Priyadarshan’s films such as Kakkakuyil and Arabiyum Ottakavum P Madhavan Nairum. Recollecting his experience interacting with Basil, Shelvin says, “I was very nervous on the first day of the shoot, and found it difficult to get things rolling. Basilettan understood that I was tense and advised me to relax and react to the situation rather than just delivering my lines. After a few days of the shoot, the crew told me that our scenes together were working out well, which gave me more confidence.”

“I was also thrilled to work with Tovichettan, with whom I have acted in Naradan (2022) as a junior artist,” says Shelvin. “Interestingly, I was a body double for his left hand in that film because his character was left-handed in the film, while Tovichettan uses his right hand. When the makers asked if there were any left-handers on set for a close-up shot, I put my hand up,” jokes Shelvin, who debuted in 2019 with the Rajisha Vijayan-film, June, playing one of her classmates.

Shelvin, an engineering graduate from Mar Baselios Christian College of Engineering and Technology, Kuttikkanam, says his big screen debut was the result of an interaction with June producer Vijay Babu, who was heading a two-day leadership camp at a neighbouring college. “My only reason for attending that event was to ask him for a role in one of his films. When the floor was open for questions, I asked him for a chance. He evaded my question then, saying it is the directors who cast actors. But several days later, during the study leave of our final year exams, I got a text from him, asking me to audition for a role,” he says.

With over 261,000 followers on Instagram, Shelvin has built a loyal fanbase, creating short-format sketches, short films, and voice-over videos for popular personalities. “When you attend auditions there will be long queues; you wait an entire day, only to perform for just 10 minutes. I wanted people who auditioned me to be familiar with what I could do,” says Shelvin, who has also worked as a radio jockey.

“Content creation has helped me to deal with my fear of facing people and the camera. I also enjoy doing serious characters, which I can do in the videos I create,” says Shelvin, who considers creator-actor Bhuvan Bam to be his biggest inspiration. “His film, Kuku Ki Kundali, produced by Dharma Productions, is also coming out soon, which is motivating,” he says.

“I am also a huge fan of Jagadishettan and would love to work with him. Even though I have never met him, I admire his skills and the way he talks about cinema,” says Shelvin, expressing his ambition to share the screen with experienced artistes. “I don’t think I am yet in a position where I can choose my films. But my goal is to be part of good films and do memorable character roles.”

Athiradi is running in theatres