Dhansika has a bunch of films coming up, but she’s in the news for the biggest of them all — Pa. Ranjith’s Kabali with Rajinikanth. Many have called to congratulate her, but she says the news will sink in only when she goes to the sets later this month. “Even if you’ve been in the industry for years, being part of a project like this is very exciting. And I’m a huge fan of Rajini sir, like everyone else. It will take some time to push the fan girl in me aside and bring out the performer,” she laughs.
“I was impressed with Ranjith’s Attakaththi and Madras. I loved how he recreated the places they were set in — there was so much detail, so much passion…” She gave her best at the audition and waited. Three days later, Ranjith called to inform that she had been selected. “He has told me it is an important role, and I trust him implicitly,” she adds.
The last few years have seen her choose scripts that she says are not “regular”. After Aravaan and Paradesi, there was the danger that she’d get slotted in similar “mature” roles. That’s when she decided to try different genres. There were some misses, but Dhansika says they helped her learn. “Without failure, success is impossible. I’ve won awards; now, I’m waiting for the rewards,” she says.
In her kitty now are Meera Kathiravan’s Vizhithiru, an ensemble film that stars Kreshna, Vidharth, Thambi Ramaiah, Venkat Prabhu, Baby Sara and others. “It’s my first attempt at comedy, and I feel Meera has done a good job with the film. I’ve just finished dubbing for this.”
Next up will be Kaathadi, a road movie directed by Kalyan of Naalaya Iyakunar fame. “It’s high on thrills and action, and I play a tomboy. My co-star is Karthik, Sridevi’s nephew, and I enjoyed doing all the stunt scenes,” she says. Dhansika now heads to the villages near Madurai for director Nagaraj’s film starring Prasanna and Kalaiarasan. “For once, I play a college girl — a character close in age to the real me!”
These films are part of a calculated risk the actor has taken. “I have no godfather in the industry. I simply totally trust my directors. I wanted to do some light films, and travel with various characters. I’m happy that paid off,” she says.
Another big-ticket film Dhansika has landed is Samuthirakani’s Kitna, where her character goes through four stages, beginning with teenage. “It’s an very intense role and is set in a village. I’ve been training in silambam for it. It feels good to put in this kind of hard work; it makes your job feel worth it.”
She says she’s grateful to be working at a time when no strict norms govern filmmaking. “Now, the character is the hero. That suits me,” says Dhansika, who was mentored by directors such as Bala, Vasanthabalan and S. P. Jananathan early on. “I am like eera kalimannu (moist clay); ready to be moulded.”
She is among the taller actors in Kollywood. “Why, I even wear high heels! People wonder if I’m out of my mind. But hey, I’m confident about how I look!”
