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Balancing act

Way to go Madhurima

Aa Okkadu was supposed to be Ajay’s debut film as a hero but it was newcomer Madhurima who hogged the attention. The actress confesses that she was surprised watching herself get such ample screen space; in fact, the film revolved around her.

How did she bag this role? Madhurima Banerjee's pictures were on the Internet, and the director came to Mumbai to see her. "He said I had the attitude, and the next thing I saw was myself before the camera," says the actress who is currently doing her graduation in Mumbai.

Tell Madhurima she has the perfect height meant for a south Indian heroine and she giggles. She is only 5 feet 4 inches tall, and had actually worn a four-and-a-half inch heeled pair of sandals for the movie. Despite that, they made her stand on small wooden tables, and she had to really look up at Ajay to carry on her dialogues, Ajay standing tall at 6 feet 2 inches. For the songs, Madhurima would have to maintain a comfortable distance.

Films happened to her by chance. She had worked in Kadambari, a Hindi TV serial and a government project that ran into 36 episodes.

She was in the XI standard when offers started pouring in. “G.V. Iyer was making Ramayana when he saw the potential in me,” explains Madhurima. “He approached me for Sita’s role and Sunjay Dutt for Rama’s role, but unfortunately Mr Iyer passed away before the project took off.” That would have been Madhurima’s first Hindi film, but fate had different plans.

Madhurima is a good singer too. Her mother had taught her ghazals and even encouraged her to take up classical dancing. She learnt Kathak for two years but had to give it up as her father, who is in the Indian Navy, was on a transferable job.

Even while pursuing her XII standard, Madhurima took up acting in TV serials. She would anchor as a part time job just to get comfortable with the camera. Her mother was a huge support and would join her in the sets in the nights after she would return from work. “I worked hard for those two years balancing studies and work,” says Madhurima. “I would shoot in the nights and sleep just for three hours in the morning and rush to college.”

In Aa Okkadu, Madhurima was mostly dressed in saris which she says are her favourite. She is waiting for her next release Toss at the moment which stars Amisha Patel’s brother Asmit in the lead. She cites the strike in the industry for the delay of the release.

She is happy working for Telugu films because production gets wrapped up in three months flat, whereas Hindi movies take their own sweet time to finish. She adds, “There people get up aaram se at ten or eleven in the morning, and go to the sets late. I’ve learnt to be disciplined here.

Plus people are so warm and affectionate, helpful and just a phone call away.”

When Aa Okkadu released, Madhurima saw it in Gokul theatre. “Baap re baap, the people were all over me,” she says.

“It was an overwhelming feeling. It was a tough and a complicated role.”

Madhurima’s next film is Mounaragam with Tanish. “I’d love to sing for Telugu films, be it for me or for someone else. I don’t mind a career in playback singing.”

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