Poorna just can’t stop gushing about her role in Savarakathi , and all the more while talking about the director of the film, GR Adithya. “He is an amazing director and actor. He would enact the role of Subadhra (her character) so realistically. Playing the role of a hearing-impaired, full-term pregnant woman with two children and speaking in a particular slang was no easy task But the director ensured that all that I had to do was just follow his instructions and imitate him,” says Poorna.
The actor, who made her debut in Tamil in 2008 with Muniyandi Vilangiyal Moondraamaandu , says that she was focussed on playing woman-centric roles. “I am happy that films where I played strong female characters – such as Drohi (Tamil), Seema Tapakai, Avunu (Telugu), Chattakaari (Malayalam, 2012) –were all box-office hits.”
Poorna’s popularity shot up when she won the reality dance show in a Malayalam TV channel, after which she got the opportunity to work in many Malayalam films. “I am a dancer first. That is why I don’t accept all roles that come my way. Unless I am convinced that it is a strong, prominent role with ample scope to perform, I don’t accept it. I want the audience to recognise me for my acting talent.”
Though her mother tongue is Malayalam, Poorna speaks Tamil and Telugu fluently. But she struggled to get the village dialect interspersed with local slang and proverbs for her role in Savarakathi . “The character of Subadhra has the trait of lip-reading only the last word of the sentence and reacting to it. And this constantly irritates her husband Pitchai (played by director Ram). It leads to several hilarious situations in the film,” says Poorna. Both Aditya and co-director Srini had conducted a workshop for Poorna to familiarise her with the role she was playing. In fact, Poorna has even dubbed for the film.
poorna in savarakathi
The actor had to wear a prosthetic belly weighing three kilograms during the shooting, which lasted for 25 days. “But I did not mind it, as the character was so close to my heart. Subadhra is so loveable and adorable. But all these were not the challenge for me in Savarakathi . It was working with stalwarts like Mysskin and Ram. You can imagine my plight working with those two giants,” says Poorna.
At the end of the day, Poorna is glad she had agreed to act as the mother of two kids. Once she knew that Mysskin was the producer, she did not want to let go of the opportunity. “As an actor, it doesn’t matter to me if I play the role of a mother, with or without make-up and so on. I focus only on getting the expressions and acting right. Moreover, I am confident when I act without make-up; I feel free, as there is no hindrance,” says Poorna. It was only after the completion of shooting for Savarakathi that Poorna came to know that the role she played was based on Adithya’s mother. “The roleis likely to have the audience in splits,” she says.
Poorna has also played the lead role in Manal Kayiru 2 , another comedy. “ Manal Kayiru was an iconic comedy of that era and I was happy to be part of its sequel, where I play the role of an arrogant urban girl. I really enjoyed this after donning the role of a rural wife in Savarakathi ,” says Poorna.
