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INTRODUCTION
When
Tamanna spoke to Behindwoods, she had just returned from the
Padikaathavan shoot in Mahabhalipuram. Though tired, she
agreed to talk to us, saying it would be a nice way to unwind
in her hotel room after a long day’s work. Earlier,
she had very graciously given us a video interview, where
she spoke in depth about her early career. |
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Watching
the video, we realized that we would not be speaking
to your average young star, but someone who was articulate,
sophisticated and intelligent. Not to forget charming
and graceful. We were so impressed by her performance
in Kalloori, that we went back and looked at her again
in Kedi. And discovered how fabulous she was in it.
She’s really the star of that film. There’s
no doubt we are heralding a major star in the making.
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He
nourished me and changed my perception of cinema |
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BW:
Watching you in Kalloori reminded us of a
young Manisha Koirala and Tabu. Like them,
you exude intelligence, grace, charm and intensity.
Tamanna:
Thanks!
What
are you working on now?
I’m
currently shooting for Padikaathavan. I’m
three days into it. Also for Ayan, Ananda Thandavam
(which features a new hero, Siddharth) and a
few Telugu movies.
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“My
role in
Padikaathavan will shock the audience.”
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Tell us about your role in Ayan.
I
can’t reveal too much at this point. But I’ll
tell you this: I play someone very assertive, someone
who knows her mind, a no-nonsense girl with a very contemporary
outlook.
And
Padikaathavan and Ananda Thandavam?
In
both films I play characters I have never played before.
My role will shock the audience. A pleasant shock. A
big surprise.
Your experience of
working with Surya?
When
we were on the sets of Kalloori my co-stars would tell
me, ‘you should work with Surya’ and amazingly
the first film I signed up for after Kalloori was with
Surya! He’s very professional, very amazing.
How
did you feel about your career skyrocketing?
I’m
so touched that directors have so much confidence and
faith in my acting that they are offering me all these
different roles to play.
We
hope you are going to use your own voice to dub as soon
as you learn Tamil – I think it has an unusual
husky tone.
I
hope so too. It’s very important for an actor
to use her own voice. Like you said, my voice is not
the usual sweet, clean voice favored by Tamil cinema.
One person whose voice I think resembles mine is Chitra,
the RJ. The base in her voice is like the base in my
voice. She dubs for me.
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You
look amazingly so South Indian…
I
know, I know. Everyone tells me that.
Do
you think you’ll move to Chennai?
I
already have. I’m constantly shooting in
Chennai and Hyderabad, and now feel they are more
home to me than Mumbai.
Tell
us also about your experience on the sets with
Mr. Balaji Sakthivel: how did he go about shaping
your character, which is so different from the
hot headed sultry vixen you played in Kedi?
I
was lucky to work with good directors back to
back – Sakthivel sir and Shekar Kammu la-
they trained me, nourished me, and changed my
perception of cinema.
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“I
believe nowhere
did I use glycerin to cry” |
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what way did they change your perception?
My
background is theatre, and these directors reoriented
me to act for the camera – which is a very different
thing. For instance, Kalloori was about college life
in a small town, and Happy Days was college life in
a city. The same subject but both directors had different
imaginations of what that would be. And they communicated
that to me.
The
first half of Kalloori showed how graceful, simple and
charming your character Shobana was – but once
you had fallen in love with Muthu, and Kayal was in
your way, there’s a new intensity and passion
that springs up in you. Your performance in these scenes
is both subtle and accurate.
Balaji
Sir said he would tell me only the first half of the
story, because he wanted me it to be a surprise. And
then he gave me a short brief on my characterization.
I had seen Kadhal and had loved and admired it, so I
just trusted his perception. He gave me very precise
instructions. I followed them closely and blindly. I
was grateful he had done most of my homework for me.
I would be thrilled to work with him again.
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“Surya
is very
professional, very amazing”
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Could
you zero in on one or two scenes and how he directed
you or how you prepared for it?
If
you remember after that little showdown at the
clinic in Kalloori, we are all sitting in this
compound, and none of us are talking. And then
I burst into tears. To shoot that scene, I was
confused. How could I cry so much suddenly, after
so much silence? I asked myself and asked Balaji
Sir. He explained that my character, Shobana,
feels very vulnerable and emotional all the time,
and cries when the smallest things move her. He
gave me time to imagine my character in that situation
and I did cry – I really cried. I did not
use glycerin. I believe nowhere in Kalloori did
I use glycerin. That was how natural Balaji Sir
wanted everything. Doing that scene – being
able to cry from just getting into character –
was the toughest thing I’ve done in my acting
career. |
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| Your
other interests?
You
know, a lot of people ask me this but acting has been
so consuming. I get to dance, travel, meet people. It’s
a full life. I don’t need to be doing other things.
There isn’t time either. I’m content.
Your
fan base?
I guess it’s growing. I received a lot of fan
mail after Kalloori and it was very gratifying. The
biggest award an actor can get.
Do
you miss theatre?
Of
course I do. I miss theatre very much. I hope I can
occasionally act in some plays, too.
Your
favourite films?
Life
is Beautiful. Jab We Met. Mughal E Azam and Chak De
–to name just a few.
Actors
you admire and like to work with?
I’ll mention only Bollywood: Hrithik Roshan! If
you see him Jodha Akbar there’s no way you can
say he’s not an emperor: he looked like one and
acted like one. I also admire Jim Carrey. I think he’s
really accomplished.
Is
there something you’d like to say – something
we have not asked you about?
Yeah!
I’d like to dub for an animation film! That’s
my new interest. I saw this animated feature Horton
Hears a Hoo, and thought, I’d love to give my
voice to an animated character.
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| FORTHCOMING
MOVIES |
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