Aparna Balamurali is the new favourite in Kollywood. After her impressive performance in Rajiv Menon’s Sarvam Thaala Mayam, the Malayali actress has made a comeback to Tamil cinema through Suriya’s Soorarai Pottru, based on the life story of Captain CR Gopinath, who founded Air Deccan.
For the young actress who debuted with Malayalam film Maheshinte Prathikaram, featuring opposite Suriya in Soorarai Pottru is a big step forward in her career. The actress has done a lot of hard work to fit into her character, including learning the Madurai dialect for the role of Bommi, the wife of the character Maara (Suriya).
Aparna is excited about the movie which premieres on November 12 on Amazon Prime Video. She feels she will have to be more careful in choosing her characters in movies she will sign in the future.
In a candid interview with THE WEEK, Aparna opens up about her character Bommi in the movie, how difficult it was working on the Madurai slang, what she learnt on the sets while working under director Sudha Kongara and what is in store for her in the future.
Excerpts:
Why did you choose to play this character? Or did it happen to come your way?
It came my way. I was very fortunate to go for an audition and get selected to play the character. But, otherwise also, if I had to choose, there are a number of reasons why I would have said yes to to this movie. It is the best project which I have got yet.
Was it difficult working with director Sudha Kongara, who is known to be a perfectionist?
No. It was actually very easy for me. Of course she is a perfectionist who goes into every detail of the movie. She wants everything to be precise. But, somehow, our chemistry worked out beautifully while we were doing our home work, right from the introduction and the reading sessions she used to give me. She used to make me feel like the character. This made me feel a lot more closer to the character and made my work much easier. Working with a director who was very strict has actually given me a lot of learning.
You mentioned about the reading sessions. Do you think such preparations work well?
I think I prefer this way, with all such preparations before going to the floor. Because it is very different. Here, I had to learn the Madurai slang and also on set I had to work on my emotions. So the reading sessions helped me a lot to emote on the sets. I just had to refine my emotions on the set, as I had already prepared. Otherwise in Malayalam movies or the earlier movies I have worked in, I used to be comfortable by just reading the script. Here we had the reading sessions first, which helped me not just to know my character, but work on the emotions and connect with the other characters and understand the depth of each character. And even if I had known the language and the dialect, the reading sessions would have helped me. It helped everyone to emote beautifully on set. I feel every movie should have this process. It will help the actor produce better results.
Was delivering the Madurai slang difficult for you?
Tamil, to me, is not an alien language. I had also worked in Sarvam Thaala Mayam and it was a musical. But when it came to the Madurai slang, I came across a lot of words which I had never heard in Tamil. This was very difficult and it surprised me. I was not even able to pronounce some of the words. So I had to train a lot to bring in the flow of the language. I also had to be careful to not overdo the dialect. It should not cross the limits as it would sound artificial.
What do you have to say about your character Bommi?
Bommi is the strong element in Maara’s life. Her character is a very important one in the movie as she is the woman behind the protagonist's success. She does not depend on anyone else. She is self-made and that is the beauty of the character. She is that shy girl who listens to her family, but is also a fierce woman who takes her own decisions. It was also challenging to wear only saris throughout the film and perform this role. Every time Maara's character had a dialogue or an emotion, Bommi, too, equally had to emote. And Sudha had carved this character so well that it will definitely stick in the minds of the audience as strongly as Maara.
Does Bommi's character throw more challenges at you in choosing the characters you will play in the projects you are signing hereafter?
Yes, it will be difficult for me to choose every character of mine. In fact, I am waiting for Soorarai Pottru to release. If I say 'no' to a movie, I want people to understand, and they will definitely understand, if they have watched me essay Bommi. I feel that I have done something great in Soorarai Pottru and that gives me the confidence to choose the characters in future projects that I commit. So I think, after this, I will be a lot more responsible and careful in choosing my characters before I commit a film.
Do you see any difference between doing a Malayalam and Tamil movie?
I wouldn’t compare Malayalam and Tamil movies. I would only compare one movie with the other that I have worked in. This movie was different and even while shooting, I did not take much time like I have taken for other movies. This is because we went with a lot of preparation to the location. What I actually understood from Sudha was how to be very dedicated to your work to deliver the best out of you. Sudha was very fast and she knew exactly what she wanted and so it was very easy for all of us. But, for an actor, it was hard to give exactly whatever Sudha wanted. But the movie had lots of qualities, right from the reading sessions. I would definitely say that I want every director to do such reading sessions, so that every actor can slip perfectly into their characters.
What do you have to say about Soorarai Pottru releasing on an OTT platform?
It is actually a different experience when a movie gets released in the theatre. And especially when Suriya’s movie gets released in the theatre, it will definitely get a very big audience. But again, I could not wait any more. I want people to watch this before I commit to other projects because this is a beautiful craft. I did not want to it to get delayed any more. And so as of now, OTT will be the best platform to release, because at this point of time you never know when theatres will get normal audience.
Do you feel that OTT is the future for cinema?
It could be. Because now, in every household, at least one person has a smart phone and can get connected digitally. Soorarai Pottru is a big budget movie and we are releasing it on OTT platform. This way, we are taking a big step forward in the digital era and I feel it is a great platform for new actors and directors, considering the present constraints.
What is the kind of support you get from your family?
My family always supports and it is always for art and culture. My great uncle KP Udhayabhanu was a famous singer. And my family has been supporting me in every move of mine. Right from my days in Maheshinte Prathikaram, they saw a future in my acting. Now they are all excited about Soorarai Pottru.
