Memorable characters
SANGEETA
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Urvasi bagged her fifth State Film Award for the Best Actor for her portrayal of an illiterate housewife in `Madhuchandralekha.'
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VETERAN'S MARK: It gives me immense pleasure that characters like Chandramathi are noticed and recognised: Urvasi.
"Honestly, I did not expect any award for `Madhuchandralekha.' In fact,
I was reluctant to do the role. The film had situations I could not relate to. `Chandramathi,' an illiterate housewife, is shown leaving her husband because she thinks he is attracted to another woman. She also leaves her children behind, which I thought was very unlikely of a mother. Moreover, it was a very loud role, which required an uninhibited performance.
"But director Rajasenan managed to convince me to do the role. It gives me immense pleasure that characters like Chandramathi are noticed and recognised. It is contrary to the notion that only subtle, controlled portrayals constitute good acting. My earlier award-winning characters in `Kazhakam,' `Bharatham,' `Varthamanakalam' were examples of that. There is quite a lot of emotional turmoil in all those films and hence the scope to perform," gushes Urvasi who has won this year's State Film Award for the Best Actor.
Fifth award
Chandramathi brings in the fifth State Award for Urvasi. Starting with `Mazhavilkavadi' and `Varthamanakalam' (1989), she won the best actor award for her roles in `Thalayanamanthram' (1990), `Kadinjool Kalyanam,' `Kakkathollayiram,' `Bharatham,' and `Mukhachitram' (1991) and `Kazhakam' (1995).
Glorious comeback
Urvasi, who had taken a break from films after her marriage to actor Manoj K. Jayan, made a glorious comeback with the title role in Sathyan Anthikad's `Achuvinte Amma' in 2005. The film was one the biggest hits that year.
"Sathyettan [Sathyan Anthikad] narrated the story of `Achuvinte Amma,' and, as usual, I was reluctant. But he told me that if I did not do the role, the film would not be made. That statement put me back on the track. And I loved K.P. Vanaja who bears a resemblance to my mother."
Kavitha Manoranjini was re-christened Urvasi after the prestigious `Urvasi' Award for the Best Actor.
"After watching me in the rushes of my first film `Thodarum Uravu,' the producer of the film blessed me and said `Take the name Urvasi, because your acting talent deserves that title.' Director Bhagyaraj wanted to change my name again during `Mundani Mudichu,' but my mother insisted on Urvasi. She believed my destiny was in that name..."
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Lucky mascot
"The credit for my awards should go to the respective directors. But there is one more name I would like to mention here - Jayaram. He is like a lucky mascot in most of my award winning films. He not only brings luck, but also gives me the space to do my work properly. He is one of the few male actors in the Malaylam industry, who is not insecure about fellow performers," she says.
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