Though Lakshmi Sharma has done a number of movies in Malayalam, she is still known for her Mollywood debut role in Palunku. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, it was in Malayalam that she found a modicum of success. After a three-and-a-half year hiatus, Lakshmi is facing the camera again for the film Stethoscope and where you guessed right, she plays a doctor. Lakshmi is absolutely thrilled about returning to Malayalam.
She explains, “Earlier I had acted in some films but I cannot say that I have performed as an actor. In this role, I get to say my dialogues and really act some emotional scenes. Nowadays, getting a role where you have ample screen space to showcase your talent is rare.” The film is directed by Suresh and will see Lakshmi playing the central character of Dr Bhagyalakshmi who is a dedicated and caring gynaecologist who considers her patients as her own. The film is a woman-oriented one and she plays the mother of a girl. She adds, “Since I have put on some weight, this role suits me fine too.”
For an actress who was active in Malayalam films since 2006, she talks about the reasons for the break. Mentioning that it was never a lack of offers from Mollywood, she says that it was personal difficulties that forced her to take a break. "My father had two heart attacks in a year and I chose to look after him than be active in films. After that, I had a surgery for a ligament which forced me to be off my feet for three months. I also had to undergo physiotherapy and though I got some good roles in between, I could not say yes to them.”
Though the hiatus was a forced one, Lakshmi is now happy on many counts, “In an industry where out of sight is out of mind, I thought people would forget me because there are so many newcomers coming into the industry; but I was wrong. The audience remembers me and my role in Stethoscope has given me back my confidence that I have not forgotten to act.”
Lakshmi is happy with the changes in Mollywood in the past five years. It has become a better industry, she feels, because of the influx of young blood handling departments like direction acting, scripting and production. She mentions, “Mollywood is more vibrant now!”
Kerala has a very special connection in her life and she even ruminates on the thought that she has a previous birth connection with the land. She says, “Kerala is home to me. I visit Guruvayoor whenever I come here and at any shoot in Kerala you will see me visiting all the nearby temples. I have visited more than 100 temples in my stint in Malayalam. Also I have so many memories of spending time with Sukumari amma and Manichettan.”
Before winding up, she adds, “I would like to continue acting in Malayalam.”
