National award-winning actor Aparna Balamurali said on Saturday that women actors are getting better characters and opportunities in today's Malayalam cinema.
“I have come across scripts with women characters that are most often at par with the male characters or even having more significance. It is a welcome change that we are getting a chance to portray these exciting characters,” she said a day after winning the national award for best actor (female) for her role in the Tamil movie Soorarai Pottru.
Aparna, who took almost a year while preparing for the role in the movie directed by filmmaker Sudha Kongara, said that she would be playing interesting roles in her forthcoming movies including Sundari Gardens, Thangam, Ini Utharam, Padmini, etc. "We need not only female-oriented movies but films that give equal prominence for women along with the other characters as well," she said.
The young actor pointed out that she was doubtful of how the audience would respond to her winning the national award. "I was apprehensive about whether they would agree that I deserved it. But the feedback that I have received from several people is overwhelming and satisfactory," she said.
On the demand by film industry trade bodies that lead actors need to opt for a salary cut, Aparna said that she was asking only a reasonable pay packet and reducing it further would not help in solving the issue faced by the industry.
"I am ready to reduce my wages if projects are coming up to help artistes who are reeling under the financial crisis induced by the pandemic. I had seen many of them struggling after losing work amid the pandemic period," she said.
