Throughout the conversation, Sriya shows a sense of clarity that far belies her age. While her performances in Thimiru (2006) and Kanchivaram (2008) are still talked about, she’s not your regular female lead, who wants to make hay doing run-of-the mill potboilers. Also, she’s not a people-pleaser. She speaks her mind.
Sample this. “When you get married, you are invisible. It’s a problem we face in general. Who said we look ‘less glamorous’ and won’t draw audiences? Directors should come up with tailor-made roles for us. We can be succsessful (here) even after marriage and having kids.”
Until Sila Samayangalil came along, she was waiting for quality scripts. “I don’t mind waiting for interesting roles. I’d rather not do movies than accept ordinary ones. I was happy to work with Priyadarshan again. I always ask him to write a role for me in his films,” she laughs.
Speaking about Andaava Kanom, she says, “It’s a village-based script and I play Shanthi, who’s attached to an andaa (vessel). What happens when it goes missing forms the rest of the story.” The film is a laugh riot with a message.”
For more than seven years, Sriya has been listening to scripts and has lost count of it. She grins, “Whenever someone approaches me, I ask them if my character is as good as the hero’s. I don’t want to do ‘big’ roles, but should be equivalent to that of the lead’s.” Post Thimiru, she refused offers because of the limited screen space.
Ask her what roles interest her and she questions back, “Why should men do all exciting scripts?” She then adds, “I’d love to play an army officer, or an undercover cop. I am cool playing a serial killer too. I am capable of pulling off such characters.”
Because of their exposure to quality cinema, Tamil audience’s taste has changed. “They want something new; different from the cliches. I want to work with filmmakers who do ‘sincere cinema’. In that sense, I am comfortable working with Priyadarshan,” he smiles.
In Sila Samayangalil, she plays a clinic assistant. “The story is about AIDS awareness and was made keeping a select audience in mind,” she says. It’s a realistic film and for the first time, she has dubbed for herself. “All thanks to director Vijay. He trained and taught me how to pronounce certain words. Though I understand Tamil, I am not fluent. People say I have a tinge of ‘rowdyism’,” she quips.
Sriya is into fashion and loves wearing designer labels. “Once my husband asked me why I am obsessed with clothes. I told him I wasn’t obsessed with clothes, but fashion. I hate people who dress up as if they are just out of bed. People say I am ‘too Westernised’, but that’s alright.”
A fitness freak, Sriya feels cranky when she doesn’t exercise. She sweats it out for two hours everyday in the gym. “I have been working out since I was 12. I don’t talk to anyone until my workout sessions are over. Keeping fit is absolutely important,” she says.
As far as her diet is concerned,she doesn’t eat post six in the evening.
“I neither eat chappatis nor rice. I thrive on proteins. It’s not about being sexy or thin. I want to remain fit,” she tells us.