Lakshmy Ramakrishnan is just back from a holiday in the U.S. and is working on the post-production of Ammani , her third film in as many years. In between all this, she also runs a home, and ensures she is there for her husband and three daughters. “Like every woman, I juggle many roles,” she smiles. “Sometimes, I wonder if I am doing right, but the magic of movies pulls me right back.”
Ammani is about the bond between two women — one, 57 (Salamma, played by Lakshmy), and the other, 82 (Ammani, played by Subbalakshmi, who appeared as Trisha’s grandmother in Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa ). “ Ammani will portray the spirit and attitude of the two unlikely friends. If what impressed me about them shines through in the film, I’ll be very happy. Even now, when I think of them, I smile. I want viewers to experience that.”
“Subbalakshmi’s enthusiasm is endearing. At her age, she walked without slippers and put up with the strenuous shoots without a single complaint,” says Lakshmy. The actor-director says that though she would have liked to just direct, Salamma’s character called out to her. “It is a meaty role, but it traverses the arc between white and black. That might have intimidated some.”
So, how important is Ammani in her journey as a filmmaker? “As important as Aarohanam . After Nerungi Vaa Muthamidathe , I sat down and wondered if I was snatching the opportunities of trained, dedicated youngsters. But I also realised that I was happiest telling a story. Luckily, my films are made at a budget that allows me to take risks, and I’ve always found producers who believed in me. That very evening, I thought of Ammani .” Helping her make the film is Ven Govinda of TAG Entertainment.
Over the years, Lakshmy has grown as a technician. “I respect technicians; they help narrate a story better. In Aarohanam , I only wanted to change perceptions about bipolar disorder; I did not worry about how it looked. I tried doing something different in Nerungi… but from my perspective. Ammani is also a slice of my heart. After watching Baahubali , I want to make films that entertain too. And for that, I want to take up a course in cinematography, so that I understand the grammar of filmmaking better.”
Many think Lakshmy got lucky as a director, but she says she worked doubly hard to make use of the opportunities. “Even Solvathellam Unmai , where some criticised me for getting emotional, was a huge learning curve. I did 700 episodes and met people from myriad backgrounds; they had so many stories to tell. And that was the real me on the show. I laugh easily. I also cry easily.”
This is why, when the joke on ‘Ennama Ippadi Panreengalema’ went viral, Lakshmy stepped in to explain — the statement was her reaction to a young girl who had gone through eight abortions! “I can handle a joke, but serious issues should not be belittled.”
But top of her list after Ammani is to get back in front of the camera for another director — her last was Vidiyum Munn . “I’m itching to live a character created by someone else!”
