The actor-producer on why she is grateful to the streaming platform for drawing inspiration from Suriya’s mother for family drama ‘Udaanpirappe’, and when she will next act with her husband
There is an unmistakable calmness in the conversation when Jyothika speaks. The actor-producer is remarkably outspoken and insightful, has loads of 20 years of acting experience, and is married into a prolific film family behind him.
such as from the saccharin high of her roles in romance kushi And mugawari measured performances in more acclaimed, blockbusters such as Kakha And Sillunu Oru KadhaliJyothika explores the full range of emotions and roles in an actor’s career. Or so we thought, until she, in her second innings – after a few years of focusing on her children – was giving a new lease of life to progressive themes centered on strong women in the Tamil film industry.
Last year, she along with husband Suriya faced both brick and stone and flower To choose a direct-to-digital release for your films; Theater owners objected, while fans were eager to see him on the big or small screen, whatever he was. A year and a half later, the couple – who completed 15 years of marriage last month on September 11 – paved the way for the coexistence of cinemas and streaming platforms, and encouraged other filmmakers to follow in their wake.
Read more | Suriya and Jyothika ink deal with Amazon; Will release four films in next four months
Jyothika’s new offer flying pirappe (his 50th film) seems to follow the same tone set as during his other recent outings; The actor is the titular family-drama in which she plays a strong central character between her loyalty to the two most important men in her life: her husband and brother. But perhaps there is more to the Era Saravanan-directed rural film than meets the eye.
On vacation with her family in Goa (“Schools aren’t open yet, so it was a good opportunity to plan a quick getaway with the kids,” she says), Jyothika is shooting the film ahead of its October 14 release. Taking a break to promote. on Amazon Prime.
“It’s all part of the job, I’ve learned to balance it,” she says lightly, before settling into our phone calls to do the press junket, even on vacation. Excerpts from an interview:
central theme of flying pirappe You share a sibling bond with your brother (played by Sasikumar), and his conflict with your husband is in the film. It’s completely different from any of your previous roles; Have you harnessed these feelings from a real-life relationship?
I have a brother who is eight years younger than me, but this kind of film doesn’t refer to any of my family connections. Actually this is the family of Surya!
It’s mostly from my mother-in-law – I call her ‘Amma’ – and the sisters in her family, how they bond, behave etc. Mother symbolizes calm and subtlety at home; He always has this silence and conviction that whatever happens, things will eventually pass. I have learned many things from his nature and behavior.
I have made several trips over the years to Surya’s village, which is just an hour’s drive from Coimbatore, and have been constantly attracted to the women there. They are very different from me, and the women I know in my life, or in a city like Chennai. Even the house of Surya is very traditional in itself; This acted as an inspiration for me to frame a person like Mathangi flying pirappe.
Has the way you do research or prepare for a film change like before? You have been playing far more layered roles since your return…
Well, this is actually the first time I have played a character like this in a rural setting before. I did it to some extent dum dum dum, but that too was not much different. Radhika Ma’am is the only actress to play many such roles. Watching some of her films was a huge inspiration for me to play Matangi with dignity and depth.
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back then (like in the movies power…), sometimes it was a fluke (laughing); I just did what I knew and hoped it would work. But now in my second innings, I do a lot of homework to prepare for the film. I learn all my dialogues, think of every single shot and even ask for my script two months in advance. I feel I need to approach my work with more maturity now as these roles are deep and intense.
Both you and Suriya took the bold decision of becoming one of the first Tamil film production houses to directly explore the digital premiere in 2020. Last month, you took it a step further with an exclusive deal with Amazon Prime. Do you think your choice is justified now?
you know, when we called to decide to release soararai potru And Ponmagal Vandhali Digitally, this was at a time of deep lockdown. 2D was making six movies; Two were completed, and four were under production. A lot of money was rolling in, and the outlook seemed very bleak. We didn’t know when the pandemic was going to end, and it was all about business and settling matters at that time. A lot of producers’ homes – ours and smaller ones – depend on the release of a film. That’s how we decided.
Having said that, now I definitely feel that streaming platforms are such a huge boon for filmmakers. We are proud to be able to make short films, pick the content we want, and feel ‘on par’ with big budget hero releases. For the first time in my career, after 50 films, I am getting a festival release; Isn’t it special?
like a movie night chaasi was able to reach a pan-India audience, and was one of the most-watched Tamil films digitally… more than a few hero-headliners. Finally, we have a platform for women-centric films – as they are called – where family audiences can watch them. So I have to welcome it.
So will 2D Entertainment continue to make movies for both theatrical release and streaming platforms in the future?
I’m not one to comment on this, but yes, I definitely think it’s a healthy way to work; This film production is for the good of all in the family. We’re not putting anyone down, are we? When you have about 20 movies waiting to be released, it is obvious that some will not get theatrical release. This option gives low-budget films a choice and opportunity, plus it opens up to audiences in over 250 countries. The best option now is to coexist like this.
Jyothika in ‘Ponmaal Vandhal’
Most of your recent films have shown you in a strong, eponymous character fighting for change in society. It’s not like you’re being typecast, but will you explore other styles again? For example, a perfect romance?
I’m really up for anything, but I’ll always have my kids on my mind when choosing a film these days. They are my priority. But I also don’t want to be just a mentor all the time.
Women are extremely dignified in Tamil Nadu, but they are not portrayed properly in more than 80 percent of the films. We’re not what we’re presented with on screen, it’s not the clothes we wear, it’s not the way we behave, and we’re definitely not chasing men all the time.
When men see themselves on screen, they see powerhouse characters, victorious in everything from action to romance. But from a woman’s perspective, what is the root of it? We are almost always vulnerable individuals, and tend to drift into the background.
That’s what I’m trying to do: Every time a woman walks out of my film, she should represent herself (on some level) on screen, and feel relevant. It can be a comedy, action drama or a family affair; It’s all about showing how a woman in TN really is.
you . played the role of a lawyer in Ponmagal Vandhali; Now Suriya will do the same in your next production. Jai Bheem. Did the two of you exchange courtroom notes?
It happened by chance (SmileBoth of us have played lawyers, but their script is on a completely different track. My character is fictional, whereas Suriya’s role Jai Bheem Inspired by a real life person. But yes, there is some give and take which we always share as actors. For example, during Ponmagal.. We decided to shoot some long monologues in a single take and there was some active collaboration. A lot of it was edited in post-production, but it’s an example of the kind of synergy we share.
How have the events of the pandemic affected you as a person and as a creator?
I haven’t shot for the last two years. After the initial six-month break, Suriya had to return to the sets, but I decided to stay at home with the kids, as one of us had to look after them. It was a long break, but I honestly really enjoyed it.
Jyothika and Suriya recently completed 15 years of marriage
We, Surya and I – both individually and together – have really rediscovered ourselves and improved the quality of our lives. I started baking and sketching (something I thought I could never do), we traveled to the homes of my paternal family, and made some wonderful memories together. This has been my biggest takeaway from the pandemic.
Can we see you and Suriya on screen together again?
We are ready. But at this point we have to wait for the right script to come out. We haven’t heard anything better than our previous films together. We really want our next film – after all these years – to be special.
Our best film on screen, as a couple? Kakha, Absolutely. I love what we did parazhagan Even together, but nothing can match the Maya-Ambuselvan romance Kakha.
Udanpirappe will premiere on Amazon Prime on October 14
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