This is a wonderful time to be an actress: Abhirami
Actress Abhirami is reuniting with Arjun Sarja 25 years after her Tamil debut opposite him in Vaanavil . She is also working on the Telugu film Kaamaghya. The Thug Life actress spoke to us about working again with Arjun, her views on her career, the effort behind her roles, and more. Excerpts:
'I will do action scenes in #AGS28'
I will be joining the sets in early October. The story made me choose the film, and the character, too, is quite interesting. It focuses on a family of three. It’s in a genre I have never explored before, with a lot of action. Naturally, when you have the Action King, there will be action. The funny thing is that this time, I will also be doing stunts. In fact, I have to train for a week. There are some mass moments, which I have never done before, and I am really excited about it.
I realise it has been 25 years only when people mention it, because, to me, filming Vaanavil feels like yesterday. Arjun sir is such a fun person to work with. He is a dedicated actor and remains exactly the same as he was back then.
'Arjun sir’s focus on health and fitness inspired me'I have so many fond memories associated with Vaanavil. In that film too, the story revolved around three central characters — Arjun sir, Prakash Raj, and myself. Both of them were very kind to me. At that time, I wasn’t very fluent in Tamil, so I often said something incorrectly, and they would tease me about it. Since both were from Karnataka, they already had a bond, so I even tried learning Kannada.
Arjun sir always travels with a cook. Every day, we got something special prepared by his chef— all very healthy food. In that way, I felt pampered on set. He is very health-conscious and, no matter what time the shoot is, he never misses the gym. He encourages others to take care of their health, too. It was probably the first time I worked with an actor who was as dedicated to his physical fitness as to his craft. Beyond just acting, that really inspired me.
'Once someone sees you in a certain light, it’s hard to break away from that stereotype'
After Vaanavil, most of the Tamil films I was offered were family-oriented. Once someone sees you in a certain light, it’s hard to break away from that stereotype. That said, I am comfortable doing all sorts of roles. The roles I got were quite nice. I don’t think I’ve done many irrelevant roles, maybe one or two where I just had a couple of dance sequences. In most of my films, I feel I made substantial contributions. My persona in Tamil cinema has largely been that of a homely woman.
On working in Malayalam
These days, I get more offers from Tamil and Telugu. In Malayalam, I do get calls, but often, it doesn’t work out because of schedules or lack of substantial roles. I am really eager to work in Malayalam again. The industry makes such high-quality films with rich content. Sometimes, when I watch a role, I think, 'Oh, this is such a wonderful character. I’d love to play something like this, too.'
It’s not a deliberate choice to stay away from Malayalam. If anyone is reading this, please consider me; I can even attach a resume if needed (laughs).
'Changes in society reflect in art too'
Mindsets and thought processes evolve with each generation; they become more progressive. Just like society evolves, art reflects that. Now, there are more female directors, producers, scriptwriters, and technicians. Naturally, the stories being told are becoming more gender-neutral. It’s a necessary and welcome process. I feel lucky to be part of this wave.
Recently, I did the Telugu film, Saripodhaa Sanivaaram in which I appear only in the first 15 minutes, but my character is one of the most talked about in the entire film. If you take her out, the film collapses. She’s an anchor character. Such characters are being written now, and I am fortunate they are coming my way.
At the same time, I am also playing the lead heroine in an upcoming film. So, I get to do both. Personally, I feel this is a wonderful time to be an actress. Fifteen years ago, Malayalam cinema went through a transition with a new wave of directors and technicians. Now, another evolution is happening, and I am glad to be part of it.
I have a vision for how my career needs to go. I am working very hard to make it so. But even if it doesn't reach there 100 percent, I am still very happy to be working, to be relevant. I have a lot of gratitude for where I am in life now.
'New heights in a career depend on the variety of roles we do'
I don’t think the size of a production or the popularity of the lead actor defines an actor’s career graph. For me, new heights depend on the variety of roles I get to play. For instance, I did Once Upon A Time in Madras and Are You OK Baby, both were small-budget films. But the kind of challenge they offered me as an actor is priceless.
That said, working with Kamal sir and Rajni sir in the same year is not an opportunity many get, and I am grateful for it. Experiences like that bring visibility and recall value, improving marketability.
'A lot of homework went into Maharaja'
In Maharaja, most of my scenes were with Anurag Kashyap. Since his character had certain handicaps — language and cultural context — we worked a lot on body language, action, and reaction. We even discussed small details.
For example, there’s a scene where it’s revealed that my husband is not who I think he is. The camera was moving, the scene was chaotic. At one point, he says a line while I reach out to touch his shoulder. Then, realising the truth, I pull my hand away. He didn’t know I would do it, but he needed to react naturally. We rehearsed and discussed such moments deliberately. You can only achieve that with co-actors willing to give their all, and it elevates our craft.
On her life beyond cinema
When I am not on set, I am at home, where I am the most domestic person ever. Most of my time is spent with my daughter — figuring out her schedule, what to feed her, taking her out, and arranging playdates. I read scripts, work out, and spend time with my friends. My husband, Rahul and I also work on several things together.
'If I didn't have a supportive partner, I wouldn't be where I am today'
Rahul and I have been best friends since we were 14 or 15. We have grown together as a unit and as individuals. After becoming parents, I feel our goals in life are much more aligned and focused. We both value the same things: integrity, health, family, and friends.
We have beautiful chemistry. What I love most about him is how much he respects me and my work. He makes a real effort to learn about the industry, even though he is not from it. Given how gruelling my schedules can be, if I didn’t have such a supportive and involved partner, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Rahul is my partner in everything. And I respect him deeply. We do business and creative work together, brainstorm ideas, and he is an amazing father as well. At the same time, he has his own job and runs his company. He somehow finds time for it all. I am in awe of how he is very balanced and continues to be excited about my growth and our growth together.
On working with Suresh Gopi
Abhirami has collaborated with Suresh Gopi in several films, starting from Pathram, followed by Millennium Stars, Meghasandesham, and the latest Garudan. Speaking about him, she said, “Suresh ettan is probably the actor I have worked with the most in both Malayalam and Tamil. Beyond cinema, he is truly a golden-hearted person. He goes above and beyond to make sure you’re OK and taken care of. Setting aside his personal politics — whether or not our ideologies match — you can call him anytime, and he’ll do his best to help. On any set, he ensures everyone is comfortable. I’ve also met his son Gokul on a film set, and he’s just like his father. I’ve spent time with chechi, too. Whenever I visit Trivandrum, I can drop by their home, and I know I’ll be taken care of. He gives you that kind of freedom. I am always happy to work with him!”
'I will do action scenes in #AGS28'
I will be joining the sets in early October. The story made me choose the film, and the character, too, is quite interesting. It focuses on a family of three. It’s in a genre I have never explored before, with a lot of action. Naturally, when you have the Action King, there will be action. The funny thing is that this time, I will also be doing stunts. In fact, I have to train for a week. There are some mass moments, which I have never done before, and I am really excited about it.
I realise it has been 25 years only when people mention it, because, to me, filming Vaanavil feels like yesterday. Arjun sir is such a fun person to work with. He is a dedicated actor and remains exactly the same as he was back then.
'Arjun sir’s focus on health and fitness inspired me'I have so many fond memories associated with Vaanavil. In that film too, the story revolved around three central characters — Arjun sir, Prakash Raj, and myself. Both of them were very kind to me. At that time, I wasn’t very fluent in Tamil, so I often said something incorrectly, and they would tease me about it. Since both were from Karnataka, they already had a bond, so I even tried learning Kannada.
Arjun sir always travels with a cook. Every day, we got something special prepared by his chef— all very healthy food. In that way, I felt pampered on set. He is very health-conscious and, no matter what time the shoot is, he never misses the gym. He encourages others to take care of their health, too. It was probably the first time I worked with an actor who was as dedicated to his physical fitness as to his craft. Beyond just acting, that really inspired me.
After Vaanavil, most of the Tamil films I was offered were family-oriented. Once someone sees you in a certain light, it’s hard to break away from that stereotype. That said, I am comfortable doing all sorts of roles. The roles I got were quite nice. I don’t think I’ve done many irrelevant roles, maybe one or two where I just had a couple of dance sequences. In most of my films, I feel I made substantial contributions. My persona in Tamil cinema has largely been that of a homely woman.
On working in Malayalam
These days, I get more offers from Tamil and Telugu. In Malayalam, I do get calls, but often, it doesn’t work out because of schedules or lack of substantial roles. I am really eager to work in Malayalam again. The industry makes such high-quality films with rich content. Sometimes, when I watch a role, I think, 'Oh, this is such a wonderful character. I’d love to play something like this, too.'
It’s not a deliberate choice to stay away from Malayalam. If anyone is reading this, please consider me; I can even attach a resume if needed (laughs).
'Changes in society reflect in art too'
Mindsets and thought processes evolve with each generation; they become more progressive. Just like society evolves, art reflects that. Now, there are more female directors, producers, scriptwriters, and technicians. Naturally, the stories being told are becoming more gender-neutral. It’s a necessary and welcome process. I feel lucky to be part of this wave.
Recently, I did the Telugu film, Saripodhaa Sanivaaram in which I appear only in the first 15 minutes, but my character is one of the most talked about in the entire film. If you take her out, the film collapses. She’s an anchor character. Such characters are being written now, and I am fortunate they are coming my way.
At the same time, I am also playing the lead heroine in an upcoming film. So, I get to do both. Personally, I feel this is a wonderful time to be an actress. Fifteen years ago, Malayalam cinema went through a transition with a new wave of directors and technicians. Now, another evolution is happening, and I am glad to be part of it.
I have a vision for how my career needs to go. I am working very hard to make it so. But even if it doesn't reach there 100 percent, I am still very happy to be working, to be relevant. I have a lot of gratitude for where I am in life now.
'New heights in a career depend on the variety of roles we do'
I don’t think the size of a production or the popularity of the lead actor defines an actor’s career graph. For me, new heights depend on the variety of roles I get to play. For instance, I did Once Upon A Time in Madras and Are You OK Baby, both were small-budget films. But the kind of challenge they offered me as an actor is priceless.
That said, working with Kamal sir and Rajni sir in the same year is not an opportunity many get, and I am grateful for it. Experiences like that bring visibility and recall value, improving marketability.
In Maharaja, most of my scenes were with Anurag Kashyap. Since his character had certain handicaps — language and cultural context — we worked a lot on body language, action, and reaction. We even discussed small details.
For example, there’s a scene where it’s revealed that my husband is not who I think he is. The camera was moving, the scene was chaotic. At one point, he says a line while I reach out to touch his shoulder. Then, realising the truth, I pull my hand away. He didn’t know I would do it, but he needed to react naturally. We rehearsed and discussed such moments deliberately. You can only achieve that with co-actors willing to give their all, and it elevates our craft.
On her life beyond cinema
When I am not on set, I am at home, where I am the most domestic person ever. Most of my time is spent with my daughter — figuring out her schedule, what to feed her, taking her out, and arranging playdates. I read scripts, work out, and spend time with my friends. My husband, Rahul and I also work on several things together.
'If I didn't have a supportive partner, I wouldn't be where I am today'
Rahul and I have been best friends since we were 14 or 15. We have grown together as a unit and as individuals. After becoming parents, I feel our goals in life are much more aligned and focused. We both value the same things: integrity, health, family, and friends.
We have beautiful chemistry. What I love most about him is how much he respects me and my work. He makes a real effort to learn about the industry, even though he is not from it. Given how gruelling my schedules can be, if I didn’t have such a supportive and involved partner, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Rahul is my partner in everything. And I respect him deeply. We do business and creative work together, brainstorm ideas, and he is an amazing father as well. At the same time, he has his own job and runs his company. He somehow finds time for it all. I am in awe of how he is very balanced and continues to be excited about my growth and our growth together.
On working with Suresh Gopi
Abhirami has collaborated with Suresh Gopi in several films, starting from Pathram, followed by Millennium Stars, Meghasandesham, and the latest Garudan. Speaking about him, she said, “Suresh ettan is probably the actor I have worked with the most in both Malayalam and Tamil. Beyond cinema, he is truly a golden-hearted person. He goes above and beyond to make sure you’re OK and taken care of. Setting aside his personal politics — whether or not our ideologies match — you can call him anytime, and he’ll do his best to help. On any set, he ensures everyone is comfortable. I’ve also met his son Gokul on a film set, and he’s just like his father. I’ve spent time with chechi, too. Whenever I visit Trivandrum, I can drop by their home, and I know I’ll be taken care of. He gives you that kind of freedom. I am always happy to work with him!”
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