In Karuppu, actor Anagha Maya Ravi’s Binu is a character who wants her plight to be heard by the court, which refuses to give her a moment’s time. But Binu experiences something far worse than physical pain, false hope. As Binu loses hope, she loses her strength, and she loses empathy. “Even though Binu is rejected time and again, she is still the master of her choices,” explains Anagha, who stars alongside Suriya, Indrans, RJ Balaji, Trisha, among others in the film.
In Karuppu, Binu and her father, Sukumaran, played by National Award winning actor Indrans, are robbed of their jewellery, in pursuit of which they become victims of a corrupt justice system. But as her voice is silenced, her empathy reduces. “We didn’t take a lot of time to shoot the montages in courts, but still, I could feel the weight carried by real-life persons who sit in courts every day, waiting for their case to be heard,” says Anagha, who surprisingly reveals that it was empathy that made her understand Binu. “I am an actor who understands my characters by getting into their thoughts. While I want to stay present with my scenes and not overthink them, it is still empathy that made me understand Binu,” says Anagha. Empathy can also be attributed to Anagha joining Karuppu. “RJ Balaji sir, who’s a big fan of Kaathal: The Core, wanted me to play Binu after watching that film,” reveals Anagha. In Kaathal, Anagha’s character Femy has to deal with the fact that her father Mathew (Mammootty) is a homosexual; a fact that is revealed when her mother Omana (Jyotika) files for divorce. While the exploration of the father-daughter dynamics is a common theme in Anagha’s characters from Kaathal, Appuram, and Karuppu, the actor says, “I have a beautiful relationship with my father. That might have helped me with my performance. But even though I could add something from my experience, the writer’s voice plays a larger role so that Femy or Binu or even Janaki from Appuram could have proper individual moments without being in the shadows of other characters.” But she also admits that, “I have thought about getting typecast. But that makes me feel good, because I got to work with great actors in films that highlight important subjects.”
Amongst the blazing chaos, corrupt humans, and crumbling institutions, in Karuppu, her character’s relationship with her father acts as an emotional core for the narrative. But even among such intense scenes, Anagha recalls the moments spent with Indrans fondly. “His worldview is very similar to that of a sweet child. While we would joke around a lot, I admired the way he looks at things from different perspectives, and wants to learn all the time, while still having such in-depth knowledge about various topics.” Anagha also reveals that his expertise in various topics extended costumes, which gave Indrans his start in cinema. “Indrans sir, had made a passing comment about contemporary cinema costumes during a random conversation, which struck me with awe. Because even after all these years, he still maintains that acumen,” says the actor. She also admits that the sets of Karuppu felt like being in Kerala. “Though we had some other Malayali actors like Swasika, a lot of the crew were from Kerala. So Indrans sir and I were comfortable there as we would josh around together along with them.”
While Anagha shares a lot of scenes with a seasoned performer like Indrans, she also admits to learning a lot from a star like Suriya. The actor says, “I really like the way Suriya acts with his eyes. Be it in romantic films like Kaakha Kaakha and Vaaranam Aayiram, or in 7 Aum Arivu, the way his eyes convey emotions is always inspiring.” Apart from feature films, Anagha's range of projects extends to short films and even music videos. But she admits to seeking inspiration from a personal space for her creative expression. “I would listen to my friends’ stories, which were so interesting and so dramatic. That would take me on a train of thoughts which would inspire me to create stories of my own,” says the actor who asserts in wanting to write in the future. While Anagha remains tight-lipped about her upcoming projects, she says, “I only hope to be part of more films, where relevant topics are highlighted. Like in Karuppu, where I had the opportunity to voice out against the malicious gaze in a particular scene. I always want to speak out for women in my films.”