I had to do a lot of preparation for 'Kaaka Muttai.' I had to literally spend every night and morning in the slums, observing the life of people there, and work on my diction.
When I signed 'Kaaka Muttai,' a lot of directors told me that I shouldn't be doing the role of a mother so early in my career. But I went ahead, as I aspire to do challenging roles.
Kaaka Muttai' is the expression of an insider. It is a film about globalisation and its effects.
I'm proud to have associated with a small, yet beautiful film like 'Kaaka Muttai.'
I play the leading lady in Arjun Rampal's latest production, 'Daddy'. It's a very bold, performance-oriented role, and the team had originally cast someone else. However, when Arjun saw my performance in 'Kaaka Muttai,' he roped me in.
I want to be choosier. I can't let quality take a back seat... not after 'Kaaka Muttai.'
When I did 'Kaaka Muttai,' I was a very raw actor. Director Manikandan brought out the best in me.
Initially, I didn't have much knowledge about cinema. But once I started doing good films, precisely after 'Kaaka Muttai,' people started respecting me as a performer.
After acting in a critically acclaimed film like 'Kaaka Muttai,' I didn't get any offers for more than a year.
The best preparation for acting is life - observing life and people and observing yourself. All that becomes your library. So when you have to research a part, a scene or an emotion, you go into the library and get what you need.
'Kaaka Muttai' has gone places. It's a great feeling. There is respect from family and friends. The film has travelled to international festivals, and I was able to meet big directors.
I loved every minute of my time at Microsoft, but I had always envisioned having another phase of life just because I thought that would be interesting. It had never been my plan to work until I literally didn't want to do anything and then hang it up.
I used to literally spend every dime I had on clothes, shoes and getting fresh.
When John, my husband, was alive, he had a strict timetable. We would get up at 7:30 every morning and go out to breakfast, and I'd have a little nap in the afternoon if I had a show to do at night.
My life had become a catastrophe. I had no idea how to turn it around. My band had broken up. I had almost lost my family. My whole life had devolved into a disaster. I believe that the police officer who stopped me at three a.m. that morning saved my life.
I have always had a very busy life. The difference is that a lot more people are helping advise me what to do, and a lot more people are observing what I do. But in terms of time and working schedule, it is not that different from my normal working week.
Mom was a school teacher, and she had to be at work at 7:30 every morning. So Dad was in charge of us three kids around the breakfast table. He always made it creative: he did the bananas with the smiley face and the eyes with peanut butter on top, made us drink grapefruit every morning even though we had to do it holding our noses.