Varalakshmi Sarathkumar’s debut in Tamil cinema might have been delayed by four years. But then, she will be compensating for the time lost with two releases in quick succession.
While her long-awaited Poda Podi , featuring Simbu in the lead along with her, has been slated for a Deepavali release, her Madha Gaja Raja opposite Vishal is likely to release early next year.
Says the pretty lass, “I’m not sentimental. I strongly believe that whatever happens is for the best.”
Poda Podi , which went on floors in 2008, has had several delays. There were even reports that the project had been shelved and that Varalakshmi had walked out of it only to return later.
She clarifies, “I was never out of the project in the first place, and therefore, the question of returning to it does not arise. The truth is we faced a lot of problems in the beginning. The film, we believe, has come out at the right time. Poda Podi is a project that’s close to my heart. It gave me an opportunity to work with some wonderful people. They are now like family.”
Varalakshmi’s character in Poda Podi hails from London, while Simbu’s is from India. The duo fall in love and get married in the film. “The different value systems and cultures they come from create problems in their lives. How they resolve them is what Poda Podi is about,” says Varalakshmi.
Varalakshmi, who is known for her dancing skills, plays a Latin American dancer in Poda Podi . Simbu too is a good dancer. Ask her what it was like working with Simbu and the rest of the cast, and she says, “Simbu is one of the most talented people I have met. He is knowledgeable about cinema and helpful. Besides, we are both fun-loving. The casting too was fabulous. In the film, Jeffery Vardon plays my instructor and I couldn’t ask for a better dance partner.”
So, who is the better dancer — Simbu or Varalakshmi? She laughs, “You have to tell me after watching the dance sequences. Simbu has loads of energy and it shows on screen. I have realised that facing the camera requires a lot more effort than performing on stage. Every dancer has his own strengths. Simbu’s strength is hip hop, while I am strong in Latin American dancing.”
Her other film MGR, which stands for Madha Gaja Raja , too is no less interesting.
“Working with director Sundar and Vishal was a different experience. There would be a whole bunch of stars on the set at any given point of time. It was a laugh riot as Santhanam, Nitin Sathya, Vishal, Sundar and I would play cards in our spare time. Santhanam and I would often team up and win a game of Rummy,” says Varalakshmi.
But how did she land this project? “Gemini who had seen my work in Poda Podi recommended me to director Sundar who then approached me. That was how I got into MGR in which Vishal plays a cable TV operator,” says Varalakshmi.
