Even as motherhood is keeping Radhika Pandit occupied full time now, the actor is looking forward to the release of her upcoming film, Aadi Lakhsmi Purana, this week.
The film was offered to Radhika right after she got married, but the actor, who is particular about not mixing her professional and personal life, says she took up the project like any other film. “I liked the script, especially my character.
My personal status at that point of time didn’t matter.
And that’s how I intend to pick my subjects. There were times when I accepted or rejected scripts even before marriage. This time, the only difference was that the script came to me after marriage,” the actor explains.
Radhika says she was quite curious to work with a woman director. And she found to her surprise that most of the technicians, including DOP Preetha Jayaram, the assistant directors and stylist, were also women. According to her, it was a pleasant change.
“It is so nice to see women take charge, clearing the crowd, giving instructions, carrying a heavy camera, and placing them - overall, their take on this kind of work.
At the same time, it also became easier for me because I didn’t have to break my head on costumes since they knew what was trending — the colour, pattern, and what I looked good in.
Even my stylist was at ease and it was all a bonus,” she says.
The bottom line, however, was her role and the script, which caught her initial attention.
“It is a very simple story and there’s no halla gulla about it. The film has very normal characters and it is entertaining. But the undercurrent line involves my character, who suffers from complexes,” says Radhika, giving a sneak peek into her role.
This is an issue which can be treated in a serious way, but the director decides to keep it light and comical, which makes you feel, ‘It’s okay’. I play Lakshmi, who has an inferiority complex since childhood, and grows up thinking she is fat, and not good looking.
Even if somebody compliments her, she does not believe it.
She is not perfect, but she makes people laugh, is good in academics, and brings a fun element at home. She can be anybody’s best friend. Priya wrote it beautifully, bringing these elements in one character, and I enjoyed playing this role,” she says.
Talking about her own childhood, Radhika says she didn’t have any such complexes, and thanks her parents for it. “As human beings, we all have our off days.
However, my parents brought me up saying that I should accept myself for what I am, and I am happy about it,” she adds.