Time to play second fiddle

Unlike their male counterparts, shelf life of an actress is limited and therefore completing a journey in the industry as the leading lady  for at least a decade is considered a big achievement. While there has been a slow change in this trend other industries, mainly Bollywood, with newer roles being written for  yesteryear actresses with greater opportunities  to non stereotypical characters such as mother, mother-in-law or sister-in-laws among others. In Sandalwood,  the leading ladies, are slipping into characters roles and they include names like Bhavya, Sudha Rani, Madhoo, Bhagyashree, Rekha, Anu Prabhakar and many more. Bengaluru Chronicle reports.

“Film industry is still a male dominated field and the men are considered as the commercial assets, but fortunately new experiments involving women in lead roles have started to change the face of it. Even female oriented projects including the commercial one have started to make an impact.

However, the shelf life of an actress when compared to their male counterparts is short and they are usually given role of support casts. While new kind of movie are being experimented with where the ladies are not merely treated like glam commodities, the percentage of such acts is not enough to break the monotony,” says film critic Subramanya Swamy.

 Premier Padmini, which is ready to hit the screens, is produced by a woman, Shruthi Naidu, who has been enormously successful on the small screen. Apart from the senior and most versatile Jaggesh performing in the lead along with younger talents, the film also features Sudharani and Madhoo of Roja film. She says that there are no roles such as hero or heroines in the film, and every character is of great importance. “It is why we approached Madhoo and Sudharani madam to play such meaningful roles in the movies. Audience will realise their importance which goes along with the journey of the film,” says Shruthi.

Actress Madhoo, who was previously seen playing supporting  roles in Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s Seetharama Kaalyana and in a similar role with Kichcha Sudeepa in the recent past, had shared that she had great experience working in Sandalwood. “It is the significance of the character irrespective of its length on the screen made me take it,” she says. She shared the screen space with her childhood classmate Bhagyashree of Maine Pyar Kiya, who was seen in an important role in Seetharama Kaalyana. Both Madhoo and Bhagyashreee had acted as heroines in Annayya and Ammora Ganda respectively.

Also, actress Rekha of Majestic and Sparrsha will be seen in her debut production Demo Piece which features Bharath Bopanna.

Producer Manjunath concludes saying that it is the popularity of such yesteryear actresses who are approached to do justice to the characters. “Every character has a role to play and it is why, makers choose the best,” he signs off.