Kolkata: Portraying Suchitra in 'The Family Man' series, earned her a national identity, awards and accolades. She is one of the natural actors we have in Indian cinema. National Awardee Priyamani had an exclusive tete-a-tete with UNI. Here are the excerpts:
Q: First of all I would like to know how are you in this pandemic?
Priyamani: As of now safe and sound at home with my parents In Bangalore.
Q: When I rang your number your mother picked up the phone and called you. Here I must have to admit, such an incident is very rare in my journalistic career. I know this is a very common phenomena.
Priyamani: Yeah, it's a very common phenomena...
Q: ...maybe that's why it seems so rare. We generally have a premonition that the manager of celebrities used to pick up the phone and lots of hanky panky will follow...
Priyamani: (Smiles) ...Oh! I got your point. But, all the calls I get are half the call through my mother only. Right from the time when I started my career in the industry my mother has always been there to handle all my calls and in her I got a manager. I say, OK from now on you handle all my calls (smiles). Still, a lot of people do call her to get through to me. And to me, it's very fine.
Q: Coming to your mother. Lathamani Ji was a national level badminton player. Have you ever been attracted to a game personally?
Priyamani: Of course. I was a district level badminton player myself.
Q: In which year you used to play?
Priyamani: Till 1999-2000.
Q: You have studied Psychology. In this pandemic time, people are also going through psychological turmoil. What will be your tips to deal with it?
Priyamani: I would say, first and foremost do not take any tension. Just be calm, remain calm. Don't take unnecessary stress. Until and unless it's required, do not step out of the house. Keep yourselves protected 24X7, even if you are inside your house. Kindly use sanitiser and keep washing your hands regularly. But more than that, I think you need mental peace. You just need to remain calm in this situation. I know it's quite difficult as the pandemic has affected all our lives in a big way. We are not able to go out and work like normal as was two years before. But slowly, we are getting back to normal so I think we have to find the strength within us and the strength our family provides for us. We have to fight it together, that's the only way we can move forward. Finally, I would like to say just try to be happy.
Q: You had to deliver a very low-key performance in 'The Family Man'. How did you prepared for the character Suchitra?
Priyamani: I didn't prepare much for Suchitra. I'm a very instinctive actor and it's all on the spot for me. I think half the experiences that I had during the shoot was all the experience that I took personally from my family. I have seen women in my family who probably if not the same situation but the similar situation how they would handle it, how they would react. So I think all that I have imbibed from my family, that's all I got it to the character.
Q: How much family-oriented are you personally?
Priyamani: I'm quite family-oriented you can say. One thing is I'm extremely happy that I got a very supportive husband. His parents also support my work. In no way they restrict me from doing my work. Pandemic got us all closer because we got to spend so much time together. Almost 5 to 6 months we are all there at our house together. Half the time also even after I finish my work I go back home to my husband and his parents. We spend as much time as possible. So, in a way, if you see I am a very family girl. But my work situation demands me to travel a lot but half the time if you see I am as normal as anybody else.
Q: You have predominantly acted in South Indian films. The National Award had opened the way for you to be national in 2006. But why haven't you became national in the following 15 years? Will 'Maidaan' open the road again after the success of 'The Family Man'?
Priyamani: No, 'Chennai Express' opened the way for me. But after that why I didn't become national I think you will have to ask the directors and producers from Bollywood. I don't have an answer for that. Post my National award I had lots of films on South which I kept concentrating on. Then 'Chennai Express' paved the way for me, people started recognizing me in Hindi also. I did get a couple of offer after that for songs like this which I didn't want to do. But then after that, I can say, through the 'The Family Man, I have been getting more recognition from people. Then I did another series 'His Story'. Then 'The Family Man' Season 2 has come out and on the other hand, I have finished working in 'Maidaan'. So, I'm hoping that this would give me a better push in Bollywood for sure.
Q: How much does a national award change the life of an actor?
Priyamani: A lot. I think you have to carry a big name 'National Award Winner' on your shoulder. I mean, you have the responsibility of maintaining that name. I think I have maintained that and I'll continue doing that.
Q: Have you ever found any similarities with any of the characters you have played on the screen with yourself?
Priyamani: No, not at all. Half the time the only similarity I can say that all the characters are a pretty bold, independent and strong woman. By bold I don't mean dress-wise, I mean attitude-wise. The characters I played are quite vocal, they are not scared to express whatever they feel like. That is one similarity I found between myself and all the characters I had played.
Q: You have advocated the 'Peta' campaign. Do you have any pet?
Priyamani: Yes, I do. I have a dog and a cat.
Q: What's their name?
Priyamani: The dog is called 'Mocha', after the coffee. We have not named the cat because he's a stray so he keeps coming and going as he pleases.
Q: You have judged so many dance shows. Have you ever thought of any dance project of your own?
Priyamani: No, I'm too small for all that. I don't think I'm the right person to do any dance project on my own.
Q: But you are a very good dancer...
Priyamani: ...thank you. But I'm really happy and fortunate that at least people consider me good enough to sit on the judge's chair to judge performers. As a judge, I try not to put them down but I try to encourage them as much as I can.
Q: What projects are coming up in future?
Priyamani: I have two Telugu projects that are ready to release. Then I have 'Maidaan'. My portion of 'Maidaan' is over. Then I have about three pan-Indian projects which I have said yes to. But because of the pandemic, we are not able to shoot but once the situation gets better we'll start shooting.
