Ever since the release of the publicity campaign and trailer of her upcoming flick Aadai (dress), Amala Paul has been in the news more for her bold nude look in the poster, and a lip-lock with her female co-star Ramya Subramanian. Arrogant, audacious and artisitic as the trailer describes her, she talks to DC about how she feels liberated after her portrayal of Kamini in the movie and her severed marital ties with director Vijay and industry's betrayal in writing her off too soon.
Rising like a phoenix, Amala Paul is all set for her upcoming movie and is as fearless as ever. With the kissing clip going viral now, she asks, "What's wrong in a girl kissing another girl? "
So who is Kamini and what's her problem, we ask. She laughs. "Kamini does not have any problem. It is the society, which has problems with her". According to Amala, “there are two types of screen heroines - either they are cute, bubbly and naïve or they are portrayed as villainy. Kamini falls in the grey area between them.
She is dominating, bossy, self-centered and difficult to convince. “At a time when I was getting clichéd scripts, Kamini helped me to explore myself. She is a rebel without a cause”.
Identifying with her onscreen character, the actress says, “Kamini was what I was in my early twenties- insecure, self centered, easily triggered. But now I am not Kamini. I am calmer and in control. So, it was sort of tough to go back and perform the role”.
For Amala, life post Mynaa, gave her more instability than security. “I did not know how to handle the huge success after Mynaa. It was mixed feeling of fear and insecurity as I did not know what was next. It is always a struggle to choose your next film after a blockbuster. Now I have become choosier about my roles”.
What went through your mind when Rathna Kumar pitched this story involving nudity?
“I went and told Amma that I got a script like this and she was shocked!” she recalls. “However, what I liked in her was that she spoke like an audience. She asked, ‘If the story commands such a scene, then think over it and accept’.”
Living a secluded lifestyle away from today’s modern life, she needed lot of preparation for Kamini. Amala travelled in malls to observe today’s girls and boys.
Discussing the kissing scene in the movie with her female co-star Ramya, she winks and laughs heartily. “What’s wrong in girls kissing? That shot was spontaneous and not scripted. Once you are in the character, you should let your inner actor take over you”.
Dismissing facts about explicit content and nudity in movies adding to sexual crime rate, Amala says, “There is nothing sexual here. You have to watch the film to understand the context of the scene. In fact I felt extremely powerful. Initially I didn’t know how I was going to pull off this scene, but once I was done I felt even more comfortable with my body. I felt that I could face any challenge in the world. Aadai gave me the strength and team spirit for me to become a producer for Cadaver.
We hear you are living a Zen’s life…?
“Not really! I lead a simple life in Pondicherry in a rented house. I even sold my car because I felt it was a materialistic luxury and also polluting the environment- not helping the world or me. I want to do my bit for the environment and contribute to the society”, says Amala who gave up physical, mental and materialistic baggage after her Himalayan trek when she was 24.
So is marriage on the cards for Amala anytime? “Why not? I am not against marriage. I want to get married, and have a family, maybe even adopt kids”.
