Why are you not seen in films these days?
I have done nearly 400 films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. I was busy when my daughter Uma Riaz Khan got married. After that my grandchild kept me occupied. Now I am ready to work in films once again.
How do you manage to act with a vision problem?
I am not blind but have blurred vision. Whenever my friend, actor Manorama, saw me on the set, she would sit near me without making a sound. To her surprise, I would identify her correctly. As far as acting is concerned, I listen to my lines and utter them with the right modulation. The vision problem surfaced when I was young and still continues. It has not deterred me from acting in films.
You look different from how you did in Kudumbam Oru Kadambam …
Yes, I always got the role of indigent mother in those days. Now I can play the role of rich mother, for a change.
What do you think about today's film industry?
These days, character artistes do not get to play powerful roles. Take my role in Thirumathi Pazhanisami , for instance. Though I appeared in just one scene, it proved to be the turning point in the storyline. I feel people no longer seem to give serious thought to a mother's role in today's films. Fortunately, one comes across such roles in TV serials.
Will you be seen on the small screen again?
How can I say no to TV, where I have had opportunities to play a few good roles?
