These days, it is almost impossible for us to think of a day without watching a TV soap. Even those who do not like it too have to watch it sometimes if one family member likes it. In a way, serials have become an integral part of our life despite our fondness towards it. If you are a good observer, you must have seen that in most of our soap operas, women don the role of antagonists.
Varsha of Chandanamazha, Bhairavi of Ponnambili, Veni of Sthreedhanam, Kanya of Karuthamuthu, and Rathnamma and Sarasamma of Manjurukum Kalam are a few examples.
Their firm body language, cunning eye-movements, long dramatic dialogues, cruel acts against the protagonist and heavy make-up make them stand out. Why is it like that? Are there any particular reasons that encourage scriptwriters and directors to choose women for the role? Why actors select negative characters in their career?
First of all, it is simply the psychology that a woman should be able to relate to another woman, than a man.
"Women form a major chunk of the audience of television serials. That is one reason directors pick women for the anti-hero roles,” says Lakshmi Priya, who appears in a negative role in Karuthamuthu.
It’s not her first attempt; her character in the serial Bhagyadevatha too had a negative touch. In Lakshmi’s opinion, negative characters give actors a good mileage among viewers than the positive ones, although they have to face criticism when they go out. “People will always remember the cunning, arrogant characters you have done,” she quips.
According to Rajesh Jayaraman, scriptwriter of Ponnambili broadcasting in Mazhavil Manorama, women are chosen as anti-heroes to bring visual balance to the plot.
“In most serials central characters would be a woman. If we put a man against her, there would be limitations. But, if the opponent is a woman, then there is a great scope for imagination. More than that, serials are a depiction of real life. If you scrutinise, you will understand that friendships between two women are less. In many situations in life, a woman will be the enemy of another woman,” explains Rajesh.
There have been many serials with men as antagonists. However, they have rarely seen sporting special look for the character. But, when it comes to women, they use heavy makeup and ornaments to depict the character.
“Women love watching this. They observe watching the costumes of the character and perhaps, it will become a trend. I have an experience. While I was doing the serial Parijatham, the negative role was done by film actor Aishwarya. She used to wear loud costumes for that character and it turned out as a hit among the viewers,” says Rajesh. “And we use long dramatic dialogues for villains as it is easy to shoot," he adds.
According to Sreekala, who plays the character Sarasamma in Manjurukum Kalam says women doing anti-hero roles is good. “A positive character will not get its reach without a negative character. As an actor, I prefer doing different kinds of roles. I have done negative characters earlier in Rahasyam and Oomakkuyil. And what I understood was that people recognised me more after doing that. We have had many women like Philomina, Meenakumari, who rose to fame through their villainous characters. They still live in our hearts,” she says.
Unlike heroine roles, giving life to a negative character on screen is is actually difficult. “It takes a lot of effort before and after the shoot. Enacting negative characters is quite strenuous. During dubbing and all we need to talk loud, and sometimes shout, to bring perfection to the character. But, it is an experience. Doing negative roles allows you to sharpen your talent. As an actor, I believe, I must put myself into the shoes of different characters,” she says.
