Here for the long haul

Nikhila Vimal on how she ended up learning Tamil and her hopes from Kidaari, releasing today

Actor Nikhila Vimal Photo: Special Arrangement

When Nikhila Vimal speaks, you pause to listen. It’s a relief to hear the young actress, who made a name with Vetrivel , speak fluent Tamil despite hailing from Kerala. All because she took the effort to learn it for her first film, Panjumittai , which is yet to release.

“They told me I have to dub for myself. So, I learnt to read and write. An assistant director who knew Malayalam helped me,” says the actress, who’s eagerly awaiting the response to Kidaari with Sasikumar, her co-star in Vetrivel too.

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Vetrivel was the first film I did after carefully going through the script. Everyone warned me as it was a three-heroine subject, but I went ahead. As I did not hold any expectation, every bit of appreciation came as a huge surprise. This time around, I signed the film once Sasikumar asked me if I was interested. I knew the team would come out with a good film,” says Nikhila, who hails from Kannur.

The actress hails from a regular Kerala household, with no filmi aspirations; her father Pavithran is a retired statistical officer and her mother Vimala, a dance teacher. All Nikhila knew as a child was dance and studies. It was a family friend who introduced them to the arclights — she acted in her first film

Bhagyadevatha , with Jayaram, when she was in Class VIII. “If someone had told me when I was young that I would become an actress, I would have laughed,” she says.

But, the confidence of directors encourages her to live up to their trust in her. Even in Vetrivel , Nikhila wondered how people would react to a mostly-silent heroine. “But in Kidaari , my character (Chemba) talks a lot. This is more like the real me.”

Even now, Nikhila does not understand the fuss about her knowing Tamil. “I never thought it was a big deal, but when everyone comes up and says my diction is good, I realise that without knowing it, I’ve done something huge,” she smiles.

After Kidaari , Nikhila will take her time to greenlight the next project. She’s in talks with directors in Tamil and Malayalam, but is yet to sign on the dotted line. “I believe that only when you are a performer can you ever hope to become a star.”