Discovered at 16 by director Bharathiraja, Radhika Sarathkumar is one of our favourite movie veterans. Sarathkumar has also redefined the Tamil/Telugu television industry from 1999, with shows like Chitti, Chellamey, Arasi and Selvi which were dubbed into Telugu as Pinni, Chittemmay, Jhansi and Lakshmi respectively. Her production house Radaan Mediaworks has churned out around 50 shows across different Indian languages till date. The 53-year-old actress is now creating a buzz with Vani Rani, a family drama that sees her playing two roles. She tells us about the show:
What should we know about Vani Rani?
It is about two sisters who have opposite personalities. The younger sister, Rani, is educated, while the elder one isn’t and prefers to be a homemaker. It is about their relationship with their family and how their lives are different from each other.
Hasn’t the ‘sisters’ concept been done to death?
Well, a lot of movies have explored it, but it is a first for Tamil television. The show deals with the problems of women in today’s world and how they tackle them. There is only one Mahabharata and one Ramayana but there are different takes on it. It is a role I have not done till now.
What about experimentation in television?
With all our shows, we try different subjects, both good and bad, and present them differently.
Are we going to see you in another reality show, after Jodi Number One?
I think I have tried almost everything on television. Going to stick to Vani Rani.
Vani Rani airs on Gemini TV weekdays at 9:30 pm