Varalaxmi Sarathkumar has played a pivotal character in 'Yashoda', which hits the cinemas on November 11.
In this interview, the actress talks about working with Samantha Ruth Prabhu, what makes 'Yashoda' special, her upcoming movie 'Veera Simha Reddy', surrogacy debates, and more.
Still waters run deep. That's what my character is going to be like in 'Yashoda'. The character bursts forth as the story progresses. It's a very good role that challenged me.
My character has a lot of grey shades. She is not a doctor. She runs a surrogacy facility and is a rich woman who loves to flaunt her riches. The way she presents herself, the way she handles money, she is very specific about things. She is calm and composed in the beginning. There is a flashback. A mystery unravels slowly. Two parallel stories between my character and Samantha's are narrated. My character comes into play because the two stories run in parallel. It's a thriller and so, I can't reveal much about my character. You could say I am the second lead.
The two directors Hari and Harish are utterly calm. I never saw them shout or lose their cool. They are gentlemen! They have penned deep characters really. I have got scenes with Rao Ramesh, Unni Mukundan and others besides Samantha.
Surrogacy is not a complicated thing. Just because celebs have opted for it, don't make it sound like it's complicated. Surrogacy is a beautiful way of having children. It's not about good or bad. It's just a reality and 'Yashoda' treats it as such. This is not a 'Good Vs Evil' story. When the film starts peeling out the layers of my character, you will see things from her perspective.
I have known Samantha for a long time. Whenever she used to be serious on set, I would crack a joke and make her laugh. She would curse me for bringing me out of her mood. She is a beautiful actress who has owned the character. She is a strong woman. It's a very powerful role and she has also done stunts.
There is no turning back for me since 'Krack'. I feel very blessed. I am not a businessperson to have any strategy in choosing my films. I have to thank the Telugu audience for accepting me. Writers and directors here are writing characters keeping me in mind. It's a wonderful space to be in.
I have got an important character with a flashback in 'Veera Simha Reddy'. You will know whether I am Balakrishna's younger sister in the movie when you watch the movie.
