South films have garnered audiences globally in last decade: Actor Jyothiramayi
Ever since the release of Malayalam film Bougainvillea’s began streaming on Sony Liv from December 13, National award-winning actor Jyothiramayi has once again won hearts and acclaim upon her return to the big screen. In this interview with DT Next, she talks about working with her husband, filmmaker Amal Neerad, and her uber cool looks that have floored netizens in the recent past
Jyothirmayi
CHENNAI: On a windy afternoon, we get on a call with Jyothirmayi. We are glad to see her back on screen with dual roles of Reethu and Esther Emmanuel in Bougainvillea. The movie marks her comeback to films after 11 years. “It is not that I refrained myself from doing films in the last decade. I have listened to numerous scripts but I did not get the script that made me say ‘yes’ to. At a point in time, I lost hope in doing films. In fact, there were times when I completely forgot that I am an actor. I never put an open statement anywhere saying that I am quitting the profession. It so happened that I was in pursuit of good scripts. Now that Bougainvillea has happened, I don’t see myself going on a signing spree,” begins the actor.
The dynamics of the film industry has changed a lot since her last film and she has been keeping a track of it. “A lot has changed for good. In the last decade, Malayalam films had takers only by Malayalis. Now, regional films like Tamil and Telugu--especially southern films have garnered global attention. Then there is OTT, which ensures that films live a healthy life beyond theatres. It is a pretty good scene,” the actor remarks.
Bouganvillea is based on the Malayalam novel, Ruthinte Lokam, written by Lajo Jose. The starting point for Jyothirmayi was when her husband and filmmaker Amal Neerad asked her to read the book. “It excited me. I was intrigued by the character arc. That is when Amal told me that he would be playing Ruth’s character in the book. I was quite skeptical as it has been more than a decade since I faced the camera. I asked him if he was sure and even suggested that he cast an actor with a market value. But Amal was convinced,” says the National award-winner with a smile.
Jyothirmayi recalls the first few shots from the film and says, “We shot for the accident scene on the first day. It was just a shake. I went into the sets completely trusting the director and there were technicians as well, who helped me in pulling off the role. To sum it up, I would call it a rollercoaster ride.”
Be it on screen or off screen, she has avoided stereotypes. Just like her roles, her looks too have garnered a huge fan following. “It is about the people, who we meet and the life we live. My partner, my friends, and others around me have an impact on how I choose to be,” she explains.
Jyothirmayi doesn’t want to commit when she would next be seen on screen. “I would do another film only if I find it exciting and I am not in a rush,” concludes the actor.
