Perseverance pays. So, does hard work, when coupled with talent. And Poornima Indrajit now has a lot to show for all these. A recognition from the Sun group of channels is no mean feat. People vote for you over there, like the star singers. Poornima has just won the best supporting actor award of the Sunkudumbam Viruthukal for year 2009. It is for two characters she played in the TV serial, Kolangal, a six year long serial which ended late last year. Poornima entered Kolangal half way through. Devyani was till then, the main character. She played Menaka, an elite businesswomen who is an adopted child and her biological mother, a traditional poor village woman. Poornima has also been nominated for the Tamil Nadu State Award for the same category, which is some achievement, considering that the TV serials there have a high degree of excellence, content wise and technically.
Votes from villages
“Over there, it's not only SMS that is counted, votes are pooled even from remote villages. So I am happy about the award,” says Poornima who has not yet signed on anything else. Poornima and Indrajit's second baby, Nakshatra is 10 months old now and needs all her attention, she feels. “Any work that is in Kerala will suit me now,” she adds, but is not averse to working during weekends, when elder daughter Prarthana's schedules don't get disrupted.
Poornima balances her work and role as a homemaker with finesse. “Home definitely comes first, but work is also important. My dharma and karma must be maintained. Dharma comes first. Since Indrajit is the breadwinner of the family, he is away whenever needed. Then, my karma, I work whenever it is possible to do so,” she says. With a family that understands what show business is, she has been lucky to get the much needed support, she feels. The serials in Tamil Nadu usually portray strong women, Poornima says. Her character, Menaka, had a negative tinge at first, but became quite positive towards the end. She wore formals like suits and needed to be mod, but the other character of the mother who gave up her baby had to be an out and out rustic, entirely opposite, where the attire, age and body language were concerned.
Challenging role
“It was a real challenge, playing those roles, and very fulfilling, she says. When she was actually pregnant her character in the serial was also pregnant, which made matters very easy and she worked late into her pregnancy!
The response of the viewers was also overwhelming, as people recognised her everywhere and wanted to know more about the character she played, and not her. “They often take you for the character you play,” she remarks. Poornima prefers serials to cinema these days as that suits her now, with two little children to look after. In between answers she rushes off to feed Nakshatra and change Prarthana's clothes. “Indran is the backbone of the family and it is he who encourages me to take up projects.” The Ganesha tattoo on her arm proclaims how religious Poornima is. “I got it done in Chennai. I wanted God to be with me always, sums up Poornima.
