Actor to propagate mime among school children

Though she has organised mime sessions in two schools, she has put them on hold because of corona. “I was a mime artist before entering films. As a performance art, mime is an effective way of encouraging students to develop their acting skills in terms of body language like posture, movements and gestures. When I realised how this silent art would encourage students, I decided to start a theatre group. That’s how Karupazhagi Theatre Factory was born,” says Gabriella.

Though her role was minor in Airaa, Gabriella’s performance was appreciated by many critics. “I like films and theatre equally. Both mediums have given me the platform to perform. Once the lockdown is over, I wanted to take more mime classes and also do mime shows across the state,” she states.

One question Gabriella has been hearing from many is the story behind the name of the theatre group. “At the beginning of my career, people started calling me karupazhagi because of my dark skin tone. I always took pride in my complexion. I never thought a word will have the power to create and destroy people’s confidence,” she sums up.