My fascination for Tamil helped me land good roles: Anumol

CHENNAI: Actor Anumol has been garnering critical acclaim every week as her latest Tamil series, Heartbeat, is having a weekly release with each episode. She plays the role of Dr Radhi, a thorough professional and a workaholic. “Radhi is unlike any of my previous roles. The audience would have seen me playing a rustic character or a housewife. Radhi isn’t one of them. She is a chief doctor, strict, and most importantly a new-age woman. This got me hooked to the character as well as the show instantly. Even the makeover is more of the west meeting the east. So it is a package as such and I had no reason to say ‘no’ to it,” says Anumol.

Not a huge movie buff by her own admission, until her entry to showbiz, Anumol is grateful for the recognition and the characters that have come her way. “I am an avid reader and wasn’t a huge moviephile, who would watch a film only in theatres. I started doing that only after I came into the industry. The best thing that happened to me was, I was able to play characters I have read and enjoyed in the books,” she adds. However, it wasn’t a cakewalk for the actor to do so. “If you believe that I have chosen good roles predominantly, there is a lot of struggle behind that. When I listen to a character, it takes time for me to process it and if I will be able to justify the role. I have asked a lot of directors on why they envisage me in a character, which probably is a cup of tea for a star or a veteran performer. I keep asking these questions and the funniest part is, I have gone without work for more than a year,” the actor says with a smile.

Having made her debut with Kannukulle, and following it up with strong roles in Thilagar, Oru Naal Iravil and as Kuruvamma in Ayali, Anumol says that she could have done more films and shows in Tamil if not for this reason. “Typecasting. That is one thing I am not game for ever. After playing Kuruvamma in Ayali, all the characters I heard immediately were on the lines of Kuruvamma. Similarly, I played a sex worker in Oru Naal Iravil, the subsequent stories I heard all had me in the role of a sex worker.”

But the reason behind accepting a show like Ayali is because of personal connection too. “I have a fascination towards Tamil. So, Kuruvamma is someone who speaks Madurai dialect and it excited the actor in me. Moreover, she is someone who fights against patriarchy. I have been fighting against marriage from class 7 till today. In fact, I wanted to do something about this through videos during lockdown and I was super thrilled to do that through Ayali,” Anumol remarks.

On her upcoming projects, she says, “I have Hara with Mohan sir, and a couple of other projects which will be announced soon.”