Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

Trendsetter Nadia Moithu with her stylish looks and cosmopolitan attitude went on to become the symbol of the resurgent middle class girl

Right on time, she emerges from the dim lit corridor, swathed in a lilac dupatta, looking every inch like ‘Girlie,’ the character she played in her debut film ‘Nokkethadoorathu Kannum Nattu.’

“It is great to be back among the Malayalam film crowd here, after a long time. Although I visit Kerala often, I have not been able to catch up with my colleagues in cinema. My visits are mostly personal, since both my parents have their families in Kerala,” she says in her simple but chaste Malayalam.

The Kerala born Mumbaite was introduced to films by Fazil with whom she had three consecutive hits. “Fazil Uncle, launched me simultaneously in Malayalam and Tamil. ‘Poove Poochoodava,’ the Tamil version of ‘Nokkethadoorathu,’ was my first Tamil film. I then worked with him in ‘Poovinu Puthiya Poonthennal.’ He is one person I would love to work with again. We, in fact, even had discussions on making a sequel to ‘Nokkethadoorathu,” she says. No film lover can forget Nadia’s astounding debut as the exuberant teenager opposite Padmini and Mohanlal. She went on to give many a hit in Tamil and Malayalam including ‘Shyama,’ ‘Vannu Kandu Keezhadakki,’ ‘Panchangni,’ ‘Uyire Unakkaga,’ ‘Paadu Nilave,’ ‘Nilave Malare’ and ‘Anbulla Appa.’ Nadia with her stylishlooks and cosmopolitan attitude soon went on to become the symbol of the resurgent middle class girl.

As one of the blogs on her rightly observes: “The so-called middle class heroines of the 80’s always had a miserable time. They either lived for their families, or were slaves to their ever-dominating husbands or they consistently fought for equality and justice. Until Nadia came into the picture – riding a bicycle, with a smile on her face, a song on her lips and dressed nattily to boot. Cinema suddenly realised that middle class could also mean fun, cool clothes and loving families.”

Says Nadia: “I don’t know if I redefined any images, but I enjoyed playing all my roles. And I am one person who finds joy in what ever I do. I have also had a typical middle class upbringing and I cherish those values. It taught me to give more and take less. And I did whatever I believed in. It gave me happiness and I could show that on screen as well.”

And whatever she was on screen soon became the trend of the season – ranging from her dress to accessories to hairdo. “I do believe in dressing up. No matter where you are and what you do, you need to follow a dress code. For me that is a way of respecting others. Luckily the roles I played had scope to dress up. But I have always made it a point to be a minimalist. I was aware that my dress code was being imitated, so I was extra careful about it. Looking back, it was great fun to do all that shopping for the roles and I enjoyed it to the core.”

But then what made her take the decision to give up that joy?

“I was in love,” comes the immediate reply. “It was a long distance relationship. My boyfriend, Shrish Godbole, was in the United States when I was working in films. And there no communication other than occasional phone calls and letters. After a point of time, we both got a little insecure about being so distant from each other. So we decided to get married.”

Nadia abruptly cut her rising career graph to go the family way. She returned to films after a gap of almost two decades with the lead role in the Tamil film ‘M Kumaran Son of Mahalakshmi.’

“My husband pushed me into films this time. But I am not actively into acting, since I have two girls to bring up. I don’t believe in the numbers game. I am here to do quality work and I am sure whatever you do with commitment will be recognised and remembered.”

Well, one can see that she is right. Evidence – a remarkable career in Tamil Cinema in the 80s without K. Balachandar, Bharathiraja, Mani Ratnam and Kamal Hassan.

“Well, it just didn’t happen. I have been offered films with Kamal Hassan. And Mani Ratnam had approached me for ‘Mouna Ragam.’ I declined both as my schedules were packed. Actually it didn’t occur to me that I haven’t worked with the so called doyens until it was pointed out to me. I was that content with my work,” she winds up.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail