Acting
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would or that I even could act. But if life is a stage and we are all actors (thank you very much, William Shakespeare...), one could give it a shot when asked, right? - Stage or film. I absolutely enjoyed both. Acting is cathartic. I would add, far more than singing...
Nadunisi Naaygal
This was in early 2011. After the success of the Mamma Mia shows in Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, Director Gautham Vasudev Menon who happened to attend the last show at Chennai asked if I'd take this up. A psycho thriller of a film. And culturally controversial. And for the most part my look would be with burnt makeup. Given my exhilarating experience with Mamma Mia, I was all ready to try. I was soon told that I'd have to tonsure my head and was hesitant, but eventually agreed. When it came to it, to my relief, they managed that look with laborious and painful make-up (it took four hours to put on and two to take off, and I lost a lot of hair in the process).
The three most intense scenes for me were the one where my character braves an untoward fire incident on the night of marriage, another where she gets raped by the adopted son, and finally when she has to cry with her burnt make-up, looking in the mirror, once the director prompts "lights, camera, action".
This was also the time I was working as Head Corporate Services at Vinayaka Missions University (Chennai). I would work all day and shoot all night and get some sleep between both. Was an honour and privilege working with the lovely Sameera Reddy and Veera Bahu.
The biggest challenge doing this role was that my son was sixteen at the time, the age of my adopted son in the film when the rape happens. I felt the need to tell my son about it. His reaction was priceless, "It's just a film, Amma". My mother was very upset after she saw the film and asked why I did it. My father took the phone from her and told me not to worry, that it's just a film.
Mamma Mia!
My first stint with acting. In 2009, after Kafeoke shut down. I got asked because I sing :). The role of Donna in Mamma Mia. I still remember the first chat with Director Mithran Devanesan and Choreographer Jeffrey Vardon. Learning all the dance was the tough part, and singing while at that! Was thrilled to be working with Producer Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Timothy Madhukar and Sean Bout with the music and great actors Deepa Nambiar, Poppy (we were the dynamos), Arjun Thomas, Kavitha and the rest of the team.
