Nandana Varma sounds excited. The girl who forayed into Mollywood through the movie Spirit and became the darling of the Malayali audience through her performances in movies like Ayalum Njanum Thammil, Mili, 1983 and Guppy, has just made her debut in Tamil alongside popular actor Cheran. “The movie title is Rajavukku Check,” says the actor, who plays his daughter in the movie. “It talks about the bond between a father and his daughter. The shooting is almost over. One song sequence is left.” She is now at her home in Tripunithura, Kochi, as shooting has been postponed due to the strike in Kollywood.
The shooting of Rajavukku Check has been a learning experience for the actor, who has completed 13 movies in Malayalam. It took her a while to learn Tamil. “I was a bit nervous in the beginning. But, I could grasp it easily as the crew was supportive, especially, Cheran sir. He was so cool and taught me Tamil,” says Nandana, who entered films unexpectedly. “I went to attend my father’s friend’s movie launch and later got a call for Ranjith sir’s Spirit. In the movie, a few scenes of mine were edited out and I was sad because I wasn’t aware of the functioning of a film then. Gradually, I understood it,” she recalls.
Mazhayathu is her latest project in Malayalam, where she again plays a daughter’s role. Among the roles she has played so far, she feels the character in Mili has been the challenging one. “She is an introvert and depicting her body language on screen has been a tad difficult,” says Nandana, who hit the headlines lately for giving a fitting reply to an online abuser.
“I put a photograph on Instagram and this guy posted a bad comment beneath it. I told him to say that to his mother. While most people supported my move, a section told me that I shouldn’t have disgraced his mother. I wasn’t dishonoring his mother. What I meant to convey to him was ‘he should go and tell that bad word to his mother’. I was angry and sad when I saw that comment,” she says.
The storm hasn’t settled down yet. “Now, I am planning to do a live,” she says. Not that she regrets her reply. She just wants to clears the air and share her thoughts with the crowd. “If he hadn’t put that comment, I wouldn’t have reacted so. I think even those who criticise me for my reply would do the same if someone like him comments such nasty things to their mother or sister,” she concludes.
