The first thing that strikes you about Janani Iyer is her glistening skin and beautiful eyes. The actor caught everyone’s attention with Avan Ivan (2011) which seemed tailor-made for her. Currently, she’s awaiting the release of four films in Tamil — Adhey Kangal, Thollaikaatchi, Balloon and Ulta. Though her project with Bala was widely talked about, she says post Thegidi (2014) not many interesting offers came her way.
“Everything about Avan Ivan was fresh. I learnt a lot working with Bala. I would love to essay meaningful roles,” she says. In Adhey Kangal she plays a journalist with a Tamil magazine. “I enjoyed it thoroughly. It’s a thriller based on a love story. I can’t tell you the exact reason behind the title,” she smiles.
Calling herself lucky to have got different roles, she adds that the audience will be seeing a lot more of her on the big screen this year.
Talking about the Jai-Anjali starrer Balloon, she says there are some good twists in the plot. “My portions with Jai are set in 1989. My character Shenbagavalli comes in the flashback. We were supposed to shoot in December; but due to cyclone and demonetisation, we have postponed it to March,” she adds. The film will be shot in Kodaikanal.
We ask her if she plays a ghost in the film, Janani laughs, “Not at all. But watch out for the first look poster. It’s an interesting film.” She’s equally excited about Thollaikaatchi, which is on the lines of Mundasupatti (2014). She’s paired opposite Ashwin Kakumanu. “It’s a
village-based story, and I play a short-tempered girl. I have not done a full-fledged rural script after Avan Ivan and was keen on this,” she says.
In Ulta, a quirky film, Janani plays a college girl. “My character will have different dimensions in the film,” she says.
It was challenging to play a serious role when the atmosphere on the sets was filled with laughter. “I needed many retakes because each time a ‘funny’ scene was shot, I would burst out laughing and the director was forced to cut! But, the film has shaped up really well,” she adds. Janani is determined that for her “quality matters, not quantity.”