Priya makes a mark across industries

There is definitely something special about Priya Anand. When you talk to her, you are simply in awe of her spontaneity. The pretty actor, who’s currently busy shooting Muthuramalingam opposite Gautham Karthik, is all smiles. She is playing a village character for the first time in her career. She says, “This film will be important because I am trying my hand in silambam. I play a strong character called Vijayalakshmi and the role required me to learn the martial art. I’ll be seen as a student and it was fun wearing uniforms and half-saris.” 

Learning silambam was challenging for Priya. She adds, “I thought that silambam was an outdated idea when we started shooting. But when I visited the villages in and around Theni and Pollachi, I realised the importance of the art form. Everyone, including kids, do martial arts quite well and I was surprised by it. It’s nice to see people who follow their culture and tradition even today. I used to spend time in villages, visiting my grandmother during summer holidays. So I am not completely alien to rural-background.”

Speaking about Gautham Karthik, she calls him “a fantastic co-star. We have acted together in Vai Raja Vai (2015). He does martial arts effortlessly! When I compare my skills to his, it’s nothing,” she shares. The actor wants to do more films that are clean and satisfying. “I like to work with people who are open to discussions and suggestions. I hope Muthuramalingam will bring out that Tamil ponnu in me,” she beams.

Priya is choosy when it comes to films. Having started her acting career in 2009, she has come a long way pairing up with some of the most promising stars in K’town. “I never thought I would meet Sridevi this soon. She’s one of my all-time favourites.  After English Vinglish (2012), I am more careful about the roles I pick. I see to it that my onscreen characters are respectable and looking back, I am happy with the choices I made. I think about a script on many levels before I zero in on it. Acting is more than looking just pretty onscreen,” she says.

For someone who has varied experiences living in major Indian cities and the US, acting wasn’t an easy choice. “I neither hail from a filmy background nor have any family members supportive of my decision. But I enjoy the process of being in films. I try to be different in all the films I star in. I have done more than 15 films and I want to experiment more, exploring different kinds of roles. I put in effort to make sure that I am natural in front of the camera,” she explains.

Priya has made her Mollywood debut this year with Ezra opposite Prithviraj. “I was supposed to begin my acting career in Malayalam cinema, but it didn’t happen. When I listened to the Ezra script, I was very particular that I don’t miss it. It’s my first horror flick. I wanted to do something different that pushes me outside comfort zone. Ezra will be a visual treat to the audience,” she says.

So, how good she’s now with Malayalam? “I am a quick learner, so I don’t think I’ll have issues learning anything. Prithviraj is super talented. They often ask me if I find any difference working across the film industries. I didn’t find any difference until I did a Malayalam film. They are a lot more progressive in terms of storytelling and technical grounds. Both the actors and audience are open to learning and work with different scripts. This kind of excitement keeps me motivated,” she grins.

She also has a Kannada film opposite Puneet Rajakumar in her kitty.

(The piece was originally written for The New Indian Express)