Keerthy Suresh is basking in glory as she has been receiving rave reviews for her performance in Saani Kaayidham which was released earlier this month on Amazon Prime Video. The National Award-winning actor plays a disempowered woman out to wreak vengeance on her wrongdoers, in the film which is being called out for some it’s gritty and gruesome violence.
Suresh in an exclusive interview with News18.com talks about getting out of her comfort zone and playing a completely different character, why the violence shown in the film is justified and how the portrayal of women especially in South cinema has enhanced in the past few years.
Your character in Saani Kaayidham was a complete departure from what you have done in your previous films. Was it a conscious decision to break away from the mould?
I always love experimenting but I never expected a film like Saani Kaayidham to come to me. It was beyond something that I had thought of. I was always seen as the girl next door, who is bubbly and charming. But this character, Ponni, is very unique. It was very raw and rooted. I was very kicked and I was like let’s give it a try. Director Arun Matheswaran’s narration made my jaw drop and question why he wanted me in the film. He told me that since I had never attempted something like this before, it will give me a fresh perspective. It was a huge risk, but there was no question of not taking up this challenge and I am glad that it worked out.
The film is a blood-soaked revenge drama, where your character Ponni becomes a very violent person due to certain situations. How did you get into the psyche of this character?
I was loving how brutal my character was. In the beginning, I actually thought that I needed to be careful because I’ve had experiences before where I would come back from the sets feeling depressed and zoned out. So certain characters do take a toll on you. But this film was very different. I don’t know how but it was just like, action and cut, like morning when I go, I’ll go as pony and when I come back, I come back, I forget everything, come back to my room. I think the minute I got into those clothes, put that makeup on, and went on the set, stood by the Matador van, and watched Arun and Selva sir (Selvaraghavan), I was ready. After the shoot, I would unwind by watching a few episodes of Friends, laugh it out, and sleep nicely.
Saani Kaayidham starts with a disclaimer: The content of the film is extremely violent and viewers can use their discretion before viewing it. How much is too much violence for you? Did you ever say that it was becoming too much?
Yes, I had my inhibitions that there is quite a lot of violence, but that’s the mood of the film. So it’s not between how more violent and how less violent it is. It’s about just violence like, and. The only thing that was lingering in my head is that I hope that it gets justified. So when I watched the film with a few friends of mine who are not even from cinema, and some of them don’t even like action films, they told me that you should have gone all out in the climax (laughs). Also, my initial concerns were because I was attempting something like this for the first time but I put my trust in my director and I am glad it has been accepted.
It’s been a decade since you made your debut. How do you see the changes in the portrayal of women, especially in South cinema?
I think it is evolved beautifully. Women have been given more importance now in the characters and roles that they are doing. In 2015, Nayanthara ma’am acted in a film called Maya which I believe became a game-changer for all female actors. She carried the film on her shoulders and it did clearly well. It gave other female actors the drive to do a film completely on their own. Also when we talk about commercial films, when the makers are that there is a good actor involved, they automatically give importance to the character. We are still evolving. I just hope that a lot of directors out there can see the performer inside every female actor. I got an opportunity to do a Mahanati because the director had a vision and he saw something in me.
Personally, do you see a change in the kind of scripts coming your way?
Yes, I’m getting a lot of female-driven films but at the same time I recently did a commercial film Sarkaru Vaari Paata so it is challenging to balance out but if you can do it, then nothing like it. After Mahanati, I have received characters that require a lot of responsibility. I have got offers that I have not got before and in different genres. I like to do roles that challenge me whilst also ensuring that it helps me enhance my skills and I have been fortunate to work with some amazing people who have just helped me enhance my skills.
Will you agree that Saani Kaayidham will be a game-changer for you?
Totally. At the end of the day, I’m competing with myself and I’m doing something that I’ve not done before. So I feel very happy about it. I have stepped out of my comfort zone with this film and I am glad about the reactions that I have received. No one ever thought that I could pull off a role like this.
