Anagha on Kadaisi Ulaga Por: ‘This is the first time I’m playing a character with so much weightage’

Even in Natpe Thunai, your previous collaboration with Adhi, your role wasn’t just another ‘heroine’, right?  

That’s there. But in Natpe Thunai, despite the few detours here and there, it was largely about looking good, falling in love, etc… However, there is a lot of detailing that has gone into my role in Kadaisi Ulaga Por. Right from the lines to the way my character should look, a lot of work has gone behind getting it all right. I liked the attention given to my role.

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Are you someone who likes to read the script or are you convinced by the narration? 

It depends on the filmmaker. For some of my Malayalam films, I did receive the script after it was narrated to me. However, for Kadaisi Ulaga Por, I didn’t ask for one at all. Having already worked with Adhi in Natpe Thunai, I had an idea about his working style. I was comfortable with the same. In fact, he is someone who thinks on his feet, and there have been times where he would conjure up an idea at the last moment, and implement it then and there. 

Anagha and Adhi from the sets of Kadaisi Ulaga Por

But does this oscillation from the script impact your reading of the same?

I guess Adhi’s clarity about what he wants is what rings through during such situations. I don’t have to worry because I know that he will only do things that have him thoroughly convinced. In fact, even in Kadaisi Ulaga Por, there were scenes that were good on paper, sounded even better while narrating, but were removed right after shooting it, because it didn’t fit his overall vision. I like that conviction in a filmmaker, who puts the film above everything else. 

Here’s the trailer of Kadaisi Ulaga Por:

Do you like being part of films that have song-and-dance routines, unlike majority of Malayalam films? 

I am a trained dancer, and I’m doubly happy that the songs from Natpe Thunai and Dikkiloona gave me the opportunity to showcase that facet. I had the chance to do the same in Bheeshma Parvam too with the “Parudeesa” number. But yeah, it isn’t the same. Earlier, in the 90s, there used to be a lot of good dance numbers in Malayalam too. But that has changed a lot, especially in the last decade. Honestly, I want it to be there in our films. I want films to have that cinematic feel to them. There needs to be action, dance, sentiment, and pretty well-packaged forms of entertainment. I would go to the theatre to watch that kind of a film.

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Finally, unlike many of your peers, you seem to keep a considerably low-profile on social media…  

I have a set of friends, who I trust a lot to give me constructive criticism and proper feedback. I don’t use social media for that anymore. Earlier, I used to seek validation, but I have stopped doing that for some time now. I try to own my mistakes, and keep working on myself. Most importantly, I am a better judge of myself, and I have learnt not to take the allure of social media to my head.