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'Didn't think people would love Amudha so much'

Ananya from Kerala burst onto the Tamil film scene with her realistic portrayal of Nallamma in Samuthirakani's Nadodigal. Her next film was Seedan with Dhanush. But her biggest success is debutant director M Saravanan's Engeyum Eppothum produced by A R Murugadoss and Fox Star Studios.

The beautifully made Engeyum Eppothum is one of the big surprise hits of 2011.

In this interview with Shobha Warrier, Ananya talks about the making of Engeyum Eppothum.

When did you get the offer to act in Engeyum Eppothum?

In January, Saravanan came to my house and narrated the story to me. He told me about both the female characters. Anjali's role was first offered to me. Later, he said the other role suited me better as Amudha had an innocent look.

I liked Amudha's role, as it was totally different from what I did in Nadodigal.

Actually, I didn't believe it when a call came from Murugadoss Sir. I thought somebody was trying to fool me. When I checked again, he said, 'I am Murugadoss and this is my first production'. I felt so embarrassed. He then explained the production to me.

'I became Amudha when I slipped on the costume'

Was it the director who asked you to portray the role in a very subtle way?

Not exactly. Amudha was coming to a big city like Chennai for the first time and I had to show that awkwardness in her behaviour. After each shot, I used to ask Saravanan if it was good and he would answer in exasperation, I will tell you when it's bad.

He was very supportive and used to remind me all the time that the audience should not feel that I was acting. So, when I got into Amudha's costume, I became her.

My existence as Ananya ceased the moment I became Amudha. It was a very interesting experience.

'We walked several kilometres every day for the shoot'

When I interviewed Saravanan, he said that the entire movie was shot on real locations. Any interesting moments?

Everything about Engeyum Eppothum is real: the travel, the accident, the bus...everything. Everything was real about Nadodigal also. My admiration for realistic Tamil cinema started with Nadodigal and it got strengthened with Engeyum Eppothum. I saw real acting in this film. There is nothing artificial about the film.

Sharawnand and you had to do a lot of walking in Chennai.

Every day, we walked several kilometres as the caravan was parked three or four kilometres from where we were shooting. I have never walked so much in my life! I think both of us must have walked the entire Chennai city. We also travelled a lot in the city's buses.

'People didn't even recognise us'

Did the onlookers bother you?

Nobody even recognised us. They have to recognise us first to bother us (laughs). Now, I may not be able to do the same thing on Chennai roads, but shooting Engeyum Eppothum was very unobtrusive. I also found that people on the streets of a big city like Chennai have no time to stand and look at a film shooting.

Everyone loved your love story with Sharwanand. How did you two manage the chemistry?

If there is any chemistry, it is all because of Saravanan. There is no love when we were together in the film, but we liked each other, so our looks should convey fondness and not love. Amudha feels love for him only after she reaches home and when he is away.

In the first schedule, Sharwanand and I hardly talked to each other. But from the second schedule, we became good friends. If you saw us when we were not shooting, you would not believe that we could do such subtle love scenes so beautifully. Most of the time we were teasing each other and having fun.

He didn't know Tamil at all, so I taught him whatever words I know in Tamil and also some Malayalam. In turn, he taught me a few Telugu words.

'Initially, I didn't know how the audience would react to the film'

Did you think the film would have the kind of impact it did when you were shooting for it?

Saravanan was very confident, but I didn't know how the audience would react. I feel ashamed to say that, but that was how I felt at that time. I also didn't think that people would love Amudha so much. That's maybe because Tamil audiences didn't know what to expect from me; they had only seen me in Nadodigal and Seedan.

How traumatic was it enacting the bus accident?

We were not acting at all. Everything was real. When the bus got into the accident, we felt it was real. Those of us sitting inside felt the impact and, in fact, I had neck and head pain for one whole week. You see glass breaking and that was also real.

I enjoy doing such action scenes. In fact, in the Malayalam film Shikar, I hung down 500 feet. I like to do such adventurous scenes.

'I'm getting a lot of offers but nothing exciting so far'

Now that the film is a big hit, are you getting good offers from the Tamil industry?

That is the saddest part. I am getting lots of offers but nothing that really excites me so far. I am waiting for that one interesting role that will really excite me.

When others are signing lots of films, though your films were hits, you have done only three films so far. Why?

I did Nadodigal three years ago. I didn't become an actor to do 300 films in three years. If you act in many films, it will give you fame but I am of the opinion that such fame will be short lived.

On the other hand, even today, people talk about Nadodigal. Out of the three films I did, two films (Nadodigal and Engeyum Eppothum) are super hits, and family audiences loved Seedan.

'I didn't expect this kind of response even in my wildest dreams'

Did you expect this kind of acceptance from the Tamil audience?

Never. I don't think even in my wildest dreams did I expect this kind of acceptance. Even after three years, I am remembered as Nallamma.

Is it true that you yourself dubbed in your first film, Nadodigal?

Yes, I didn't know a single word of Tamil when I went to shoot Nadidigal, but Samuthirakani Sir was insistent that I dub in my own voice and that too in Madurai Tamil.

Both Maman (Sasikumar) and Kani Sir helped me a lot in dubbing. Language is not a problem for me and now I have acted and dubbed in all the four south Indian languages.