CARVING HER OWN NICHE

ONE FINE MORNING AS SHE STEPPED OUT FOR HER JOGGING ROUTINE, CINEMA CAME CALLING! HER ENTRY INTO MOLLYWOOD WAS AN INCREDIBLE CAKEWALK BUT SURVIVING IN THE INDUSTRY HASN’T BEEN AS EASY. IT TOOK HER A DECADE OF LEARNING AND UNLEARN-ING, MULTIPLE CHARACTER ROLES AND THE KERALA STATE TELEVISION AWARD FOR BEST SECOND ACTRESS, TO PERFECT HER CRAFT AND TO FINALLY ARRIVE AT ARIYIPPU’ WHICH WON THE BEST FILM AWARD AT THE IFFK AND ALSO WON HER THE NOMINATION FOR BEST ACTRESS AT THE LOCARNO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. RIYA SONNY DATSON HAS A FREEWHEELING CHAT WITH THE GORGEOUS ACTOR DIVYA PRABHA AS SHE BASKS IN THE SUCCESS OF TWO OF HER LATEST FILMS, ARIYIPPU’ AND FAMILY’ THAT HAVE BOTH WON INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM.

At what point in your career, did you realise that Cinema is your calling?

I often look back in utter amazement at how that morning walk set me off on a tangent. My career has had a lot of ups and downs and I was never sure if Cinema was my forte, until Mahesh Narayanan’s ‘Take off’ happened. That was the turning point in my life which gave me the confidence to perform.

A career in Cinema is unpredictable, what is your biggest take away from it? 

There is always uncertainty in Cinema. I am a very independent person and though I have a supportive family, financial independence is very important to me. When film projects were dwindling, I stood my ground by opting for advertising assignments but I also saw this time as my learning and an experience. I would never have been able to pull off the character in ‘Ariyippu’ had I attempted the role five years ago. It is a milestone as before ‘Ariyippu’ I have never performed a role continuously for thirty days at a stretch. Neither have I tried to study any character to this extent. It was research, character exploration and preparation that helped me perfect the role. Studying the character is my biggest take away.

You are a free spirited character and yet the roles you portray are contrary. Have you had any inhibitions while choosing them?

No I always want to try different roles that are challenging. It is every actor’s dream to perform different characters.