She has never been over-ambitious in her life.
Even when she forsake her cubicle in General Electronics for a space in celluloid, she knew that she was not after wild dreams. "I was not overwhelmed by cinema. I just wanted to see how things turn out," Padmapriya puts it without a haughty air.
Well, it seems that the dice has already begun to roll her way. A handful of hits and some memorable characters that straddle Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam have given her visage a look of appeal and familiarity.
She is known in the industry as an actress capable of brilliant transformations. But for her it is just about moving on from one set to another. “When I was doing 'Pazhassi Raja' and 'Kutti Srank', I was literally trotting around, shooting for two Tamil films and a Telugu film. I still don’t know if I have been able to perform to the satisfaction of Hariharan sir and Shaji sir."
She describes herself as someone who has always loved to watch greats perform. “I owe a lot to Adoor sir, Mammookka, Lal sir and Sreenivasan sir. I have always looked upon them with great intent and interest."
As an actor, she feels that it is very important to link and relate oneself to the perspective of the director.
“When Shaji sir told me about the role of Revamma in 'Kutti Srank', I was puzzled. To conceive myself as a sari-clad Buddhist monk, venting out her grief and despair seemed almost impossible for me. But I was determined to give out my best, even if I did not comprehend what I was doing," she chuckles.
Having worked with Mammootty for quite a few films, she says that she has learnt a lot from the actor. "There is a scene in Pazhassi Raja, when `Neeli’, breaks into sobs after she has lost her pair. Mammookka was not at all satisfied with what I was doing. I asked him if I could hold him while giving the dialogue. When I felt his hand on my shoulder in the next shot, I simply broke off. Hariharan sir rushed to me and exclaimed, ‘I never knew you could do this’. I would cherish his words for my entire life."
She values such words of appreciation above awards. With a grimace, she says, “Awards are based on agendas. Awards should be given to the advocates of films that are made with the best spirits. Today the judgments are biased and preconceived. Those who decide awards seldom realise how important it is to motivate a person indulged in creative process."
Padmapriya calls it absurd to consider ageing female actors a bane.
“It just shows the degrading taste of the society. Everybody relishes an actress when she is young. Once her youth wanes, she is flung into oblivion without a trace. We should take lessons from a film culture where Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep vie for the same honour. It is unfortunate that we are reluctant to value female actors."
Her tenor turns sober as she adds, “Here, nobody is brave enough to make a female-centric film. When someone does, it is for a film like 'Veruthe Oru Bharya' which tells the tragic plight of a wife. I think women are much stronger and powerful and need to be portrayed as characters with brio and intensity. It is a pity that there has not been a memorable female character for quite a long time."
She shuns all facades and states that she is an actor who is completely reliant upon her director. “I am extremely dependent on my director. Especially when I work with Adoor sir or Shaji sir, I feel so comfortable since I know that I am always in safe hands," she signs off.