Andhagan actor Priya Anand: ‘I don’t allow the pressure of staying relevant get to me’

While ‘Being Tamil’ seems to be a point of concern for Priya, she is an actor who has made the best of whatever has come her way. A self-made actor, Priya has managed to navigate through multiple industries, and starred alongside big-ticket names like the late Sridevi and Puneeth Rajkumar, Mohanlal, Nivin Pauly, Prithviraj, Vijay, and most recently, Prashanth and Simran. “Imagine being on a poster with stars like Prashanth and Simran. I am blessed, and there is not much to complain about either,” says Priya, who is quick to add that she is a very secure actor and isn’t perturbed by delayed releases or lack of screen space. “Honestly, a film has to work in total. It isn’t enough that the character is well received. If I had reservations about playing a ‘smaller’ character, do you think I’d have had the opportunity to work with Sridevi ma’am in English Vinglish? I believe cinema is magnanimous enough for everyone to have their own space.” 

But what does Priya Anand think is her space in cinema? Especially, when she is like a free bird that can fly into any industry, and call it home? “I am not pressurised to stay relevant. Let’s say I don’t have a release in Tamil for 2 years, I don’t have to bridge the gap by doing something that isn’t appealing to me. In fact, I have been lucky with the music in my films, and the longevity of the songs find a way to cement my image in the audience’s minds,” says the actor, adding that the Andhagan promotions opened up her mind to the kind of love reserved for her. 

Prashanth and Priya Anand from Andhagan

Delving a bit deeper into the reception she received all over Tamil Nadu when team Andhagan went on a promotional overdrive, Priya says, “It was beautiful to watch the outpouring of love. Honestly, I did expect to see this happen to Prashanth sir and Simran ma’am. But to see them wish me with similar vigour was really heartwarming. Their love made me realise that I’ve indeed come a bit far in my life. I am so grateful for all their love. It reiterated my belief that the audience and fans should never be taken for granted.” As an actor, Priya often exudes an effortless charm, and has always been effective in the roles she has got to prove her mettle. “A lot of times, people think being natural on camera is an easy thing to do. But honestly, we have to take a lot of effort to look effortless. There is so much to undo in our minds, and deliver the performances,” points out Priya. 

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Unlearning and undoing is a major process for an actor, and Priya Anand, who is stepping into the shoes of Radhika Apte from Andhadhun in its Tamil remake, Andhagan, had double the work because she had to channel the role and not the actor who played it in the original. However, Priya’s way of getting into the skin of a character was a different yet simple approach. “It would be dishonest to say I plan a lot before acting in a role. In fact, I believe the less you plan, it is that much better on camera. Lesser planning also results in the absence of overthinking. Of course, Radhika is a wonderful talent, and I believe she represents Indian actors very well on a global stage. But I don’t have it in the back of my mind that I’m playing a role aced by Radhika. I prefer acting, and not overdoing or overthinking anything and being manipulative,” points out Priya. 

Here’s the Andhagan Trailer:

Being straightforward is a rare quality in anyone in this digital age where manipulation and twisting of facts is, unfortunately, assumed to be normal. It gets tougher for actors like Priya, who are constantly in the spotlight, and can become prime time news for one statement taken out of context. Recently, she was asked a deeply insensitive question, which was clothed under the garb of ‘fun’ in a press interaction. While she did manage to dodge it, Priya did call out the person for the indiscretion. “It is sad because such questions are normalised by the system. Even before we get to answer, there would be laughter among the audience, and invariably, our response gets filtered. In fact, because I understand the language, I can get the connotation of what is asked. Imagine it is an actor who doesn’t speak the language? They become a topic of conversation without even understanding the reasoning. While I understand that such questions are more of a reflection of the person asking, why are they getting away with this for so long?” says a rather pensive Priya, signing off with the hope that things get better.