Thrilled to be in Mollywood

Kaniha is busy. It’s the official launch of her restaurant, Madurai Junction, in Chennai. However, she sounds enthusiastic while talking about her latest release Abrahaminte Santhathikal with Mammootty. She juggles movies, family and business with ease. This could be the reason why Kaniha has become a sought-after name in the Malayalam film industry. It has been 15 years since she made her debut here. The actor, though has not done back-to-back movies, has always managed to do roles that have been appreciated by the Malayali audience who, according to her, are critical in their views.

Family always comes first for this actress and the strong educational background she has received makes her a true professional. Moreover, it the love towards cinema that has kept her in the industry for this long. Ask her why she has only done a handful of characters in these 15 years and she says, “It is not that I have not got back-to-back offers. I am very careful about balancing my work and personal life. So most of the time, I try not to pick roles that do not excite or are similar to ones I have done in the past. But I am lucky that directors have faith in me and cast me in movies that get enhanced because of my presence.” She is happy about the overwhelming response her new movie is getting. 

It is for the first time that Kaniha is portraying the role of an advocate. “The role is completely new to me. I have not played a public prosecutor before and moreover, the character is a serious one; it is different from the ones I have done till date. Hats off to the director for interweaving every character in the movie with so much precision that not even one character seems out of place,” she says, commenting on Abrahaminte Santhathikal and accepting that it was also her willingness to work with Mammootty that made her sign the movie. She has also completed shooting for director Ranjith’s Mohanlal-starrer Drama.

However, it is not just luck that has provided her with such acceptance in Mollywood. Kahina says, “Along with my hard work, it is also my physical attributes that help me get good roles. I can easily get into the physical appearance of a character; it is very important for the audience to feel that the casting is apt. People say I have been the same from my very first film. I did not give up on acting when I had a baby. Rather, I have always tried to be in good shape, which is very important for actors.” 

The actor, commenting on the status of women in the industry, says it is the perception of people that matters. “Never make yourself desperate to a point wherein someone can take advantage of you. Everywhere you will encounter people who try to suppress your morals but it depends on how you deal with it. I always had other choices, if not movies, and so have also kept my chin high. It is more important to be successful than famous,” she says, adding that the quality and realism of Malayalam films allow it to stand out in the crowd.