Travel somewhere far away. Stay there for a few days and get to know the country, walk on unknown paths, meet new people and enjoy unique food. These are the wishes of every traveller. Actress, painter and anthropologist Shanthi Balachandran is fond of such peaceful journeys. Shanthi became the heroine of the movie Tharangam and became a favorite of Malayalees with films like Jellikattu, Papam kiidathavar Kalleriyate, Aaha, Chaturam and Jinn. Shanti, who has been to 14 foreign countries, shares her travel experiences with Manorama Online.
Through drama to film…
Will draw, write, act and excel in studies. Shanthi has been very close to art since childhood. Although she acted in plays in school, Shanthi never thought of it as a career in the future. Shanti’s higher education was in UK. While studying at Oxford, he got an opportunity to act in a play in Ernakulam when he came home for vacation. That drama called The Lover opened the way to cinema.
Later, after many opportunities came his way, he started taking acting seriously. Apart from playing a character, Shanti’s film is also an opportunity to interact with people, learn new things and travel.
Across 14 countries…
Shanthi is a person who likes traveling a lot. But in the midst of busy life, I am not very interested in ‘da pai… de vaani’ type of trips. If you travel, you should stay there for a few days. Get to know that country. You have to get to know the whole culture and way of life there. Just walk through unknown paths. Taste your own food. Talk to the natives of that country. This is how every journey of Shanti.
Shanti Yatra will go if you have enough time to enjoy the place you are going to. That’s why Shanti always loved all the places she traveled to. He has been to fourteen countries like Egypt, France, Costa Rica, Italy, Switzerland, Macedonia, Finland, Canada, America, UK, Germany, Pakistan, UAE and Belgium. These include study trips, exhibition trips and solo trips. Shanti says that she likes to go again and again to the places she has visited.
Storytelling journeys…
Shanti Yatra Katha begins by saying that every journey has a story to tell. Pakistan is among the countries that have traveled. While studying in the UK, Shanthi went to Pakistan, which is not easily accessible to Indians, as part of a scholarship. Shanti remembers that the trip was a heartwarming experience. The country and its people were completely different from the stories we had heard, read and heard about Pakistan and its people.
Pakistanis have a special love and affection when they are called Indians. Shanthi also said that when she went to some shops, she even got a discount just because she was an Indian. He went to Lahore. Lahore is a city like Delhi. There are good restaurants. But more than that, Shanti says, it was the bright women and girls there that attracted her attention.
Egypt is the place I traveled to during my studies. It was the first excursion. That trip was with friends. After that, he went on a solo trip to Costa Rica. First trip where I planned on my own and managed accommodation and other things alone. Shanti says that these two trips helped her grow as a traveler.
The Macedonia trip was for a painting exhibition. The exhibition is part of a famous art festival there. It was also a solo trip. Macedonia is a country with many fans of Hindi cinema. Some drivers play Hindi songs while getting into the taxi. That trip was giving memories of the country. Another specialty of the place is the delicious food. The flight should have been missed in the rush to enjoy the country and its food once again on the way back. Luckily I got there at the last minute and was able to get back in time. Shanti loves Macedonia enough to want to leave if given the chance.
Solo travel and trekking
While traveling with others is fun, Shanti prefers traveling alone. Those journeys are like self-discovery. Shanti has done trekking in Himachal. Traveling with a backpack and staying in a tent was a different experience. But the risky trek has not been done yet. Not in the plan though. Shanti says that if she goes again, she will only do such trips with a group. It is better to have someone to guide you on risky journeys like trekking in unfamiliar places especially.
Sunlight and Nagaland in the salt flats
Ran of Kutch in Gujarat. White sandy desert. Surrounding areas full of salt crystals. Through it, the journey was with friends in a jeep. It will be almost midnight. Suddenly the jeep’s tires stuck to the sand and became motionless. No one is there to help.
In that cold, moonlit night, everyone was curled up in blankets, eating food and drinking water. That night was spent with a little fear. But when it dawned, the sight seemed like a dream. The white sand that shines in the morning sun and the salt crystals that reflect the light is a beautiful sight. Shanti also says that if the car had not been stuck there that day, it would have been a rare opportunity to see the sight.
Shanti has traveled to many places in India with her parents when she was young. Darjeeling and Odisha are places like that. As work and congestion increased, such trips decreased. Later trips alone and with friends. Shanti has few friends in Nagaland. Went to see them recently. He came back from there for about a month after going around Nagaland.
Although he has done many trips to Kerala, Shanti’s unforgettable trip is to Alappuzha. Shanti says that kayaking in Alappuzha, watching the sunrise and eating good putt and kalamata made the trip a great experience.
Walk and walk…
Shanthi likes traveling to the city or places full of natural beauty. I prefer places where I can just walk. Paris, Basel city in Switzerland, Venice in Italy, Strasbourg city in France are such fun places to walk. Places where we feel most secure and close.
Once I went to Strasbourg city and I was tired from walking a lot. Then we had to rest for a while in a park near the railway station. Very nice, clean and calm atmosphere. Unknowingly, he fainted for a while. There is even the safety of sleeping in a public place. Shanti says that we cannot even think about this in our country. I prefer to walk through the city. He also likes places full of natural beauty. Shanthi also said that seeing green is very important for a human being.
Love UK, dream South Africa
Shanti lived in the UK for seven years as part of her studies. It was a life of independence and self-sufficiency. That’s why Shanti says that she is very fond of that country. I want to go there again. But a much desired trip is to South Africa. Shanti has many friends here. South Africa has a very diverse nature with forest, mountains and beaches. Shanti shares her desire to see and experience it firsthand. He also wants to go to Alaska and Iceland in America. Go to East Asian countries and South East Asia. Shanti, who is also a good foodie, says that she wants to taste the food of Vietnam and Korea.
So far there have been no major difficulties in travel. In the experience so far, illnesses have become the villain. When we get sick in unfamiliar places, we keep searching for familiar faces. Would like to meet some acquaintances.
In European countries pedestrians can control traffic to cross the road. There is a button for that. After that the red signal will come. Pedestrians can then cross. Often when crossing the road, I have felt that this system has come to our country as well.
Line and Upcoming Movies…
Kottayam is the birthplace of Shanti. The family consisting of father, mother and brother currently resides in Ernakulam. In 2021, he released a music album titled Oblivion. A.R. It was released by Rahman. Shanti, who had an interest in painting at a young age, painted 16 pictures for Togor’s Gitanjali translated by her father. Along with film acting, painting is one of the things that brings peace.
Jinn is Shanti’s new Malayalam film. A series called Sweetkaram Koffi in Tamil is being prepared for release. Sweetkaram Koffi tells about three generations of women going on a journey and some of the events that happen during it.
Madhubala of Roja fame plays the role of Shanti’s mother and South Indian actress Lakshmi plays the role of the grandmother. Meanwhile, Shanti is also making her debut in Hindi with the film Gulmohar opposite leading actor Manoj Bajpayee. The film is expected to release in March.
English Summary: Most memorable travel experience by Santhy Balachandran