As lovely as Laila
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
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The prankster that she is in the just released `Ullam Kaetkumae,' seems more a projection of Laila's real self. Her next film will be `Kanda Naal Mudhal.'
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I'm always buoyant. I can never be serious for long.
Her chirpy smile and constant cheerare infectious. . Laila, the ravishing actress, makes a telling impact in the just-released `Ullam Kaetkumae.' "I've been receiving quite a few calls since morning for my performance in `Ullam... '," she laughs a day after the film has hit the theatres. Sounding very happy and relaxed in her apartment in Mumbai, she says with a characteristic chuckle: "I'm always buoyant. I can never be serious for long." Frank, friendly and full of life, Laila strikes an excellent rapport straightway.
Living in Mumbai and working down south should be a geographical disadvantage... "Not really. I've never gone to a producer's office asking for roles and I am very choosy about the offers. Makers who wish to contact me know where I am," she says. She sees it more as a blessing. "Not many in Mumbai know me, so my privacy is intact. Despite being an actor I can move around freely here. I'm having my cake and eating it too," Laila laughs. So that's why she didn't try her luck in Hindi cinema ... "No, no. I began with Mehmood's Hindi film, `Dushman Duniya Ka,' but the film didn't do well." The candour disarms you.
How it all began
Laila was into modelling when Mehmood spotted her. "Mehmood wanted me as the heroine opposite his son. I was hesitant and never expected dad to agree. He is a very strict person. Mehmood kept coming home for two weeks coaxing us to accept the offer. Imagine my surprise when dad turned around and said, `If she wants to do it, why not?' Shilpa Shetty's dad and mine have been friends for long. So probably it influenced him to change his mind," she says.
Laila's career in the south began with the Telugu film, `Egire Pavuramma.' "Actually I was supposed to first start work in Tamil ... any way I got a wonderful producer, director and co-stars Srikanth and Chakravarthy in Telugu. Though initially I felt out of place with no knowledge of the language, they made me comfortable in no time," she recalls. At the moment, besides `Kanda Naal Mudhal,' in Tamil Laila has also begun shooting for the Kannada version of `Devar Magan,' opposite Upendra.
Laila had been very much impressed with `Sethu' that when Bala gave her `Nanda' she was thrilled. "Later I heard he had thought of me for `Sethu' itself ... looking back, I'm not sure whether I would have accepted `Sethu.' It was his first film and his looks are so deceptive," she breaks out into peals of laughter. "He would never tell us the story till the end. During `Pithamagan' we kept making wild guesses about the storyline that out of sheer exasperation he told us what he had in mind," the peals continue.
On her latest
How did she accept such a deglamourised role in `Ullam Kaetkumae'? "Why not? I've never gone in for too much glamour," she says. She names some of her films to prove her point. Be it her early roles in movies like `Paarthaen Rasithaen' or the later `Nanda' and `Pithamagan,' the heroine had a significant part to play.
In `Ullam ... ' portraying an innocent, tomboy kind of character, with braces sticking out, she is adorable.
"We worked hard on the role. Director Jeeva and I were on the same wavelength. I used to improvise as the camera rolled and the others would feel rattled because they weren't sure what I would be up to. I just freaked out," the laughter seems unstoppable. And the braces? "They were just clip-ons. Painful as they were they even changed the contours of my face. The clips would break often causing tension to the unit," she laughs. Filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi watched the promos of `Ullam ... ' and was stunned that she could allow herself to look so down-to-earth. "But why should a heroine be obsessed with looking hip and beautiful," she asks. So the delay in the release of `Ullam ... ' must have caused much anxiety. "Of course! I was upset. It's an enjoyable film with a youthful team and I knew it would do well," she coos with excitement. Working with Shaam, Aarya and others must have been fun ... "Sure ... " she laughs.
"But when you say `Aarya' I get confused ... I know him only as Jamshad ... the other day too when somebody mentioned `Aarya' I said, `Who?'" she giggles again.
`Kanda Naal Mudhal,' a Prakashraj production, in which Laila will be seen with Prasanna and Karthik Kumar, is nearing completion. "Priya, its director, who apprenticed under Mani Ratnam, adds depth to the characters as only a woman can. She's giving a unique touch to the film," Laila showers plaudits.
"But we'll talk more about it after you watch the end product, shall we?" she smiles.
As you bid farewell Laila's cheerful voice exclaims: "This has not been like an interview at all ... it was more a casual chat ... I enjoyed talking to you ... "
With the bubbly Laila around, what else can it be?
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