She comes with a legacy. For a star kid raised in the middle of glitterati, Keerthy Suresh is more like an adorable wide-eyed newbie. Daughter of actress Menaka and producer Suresh Kumar, she is keeping her fingers crossed for Geethanjali - her 70mm launchpad slated to hit screens next week. “I feel both upbeat and tensed. I know I did my best, but as of now I have got butterflies in my stomach,” she smiles.
The pretty lass plays the title role in Priyadarshan’s much-touted film starring Mohanlal in the lead. “I play Anjali, Nishan’s fiance in the film. She returns to Kerala from Mumbai to get married and certain incidents there brings Dr Sunny (Mohanlal) to the scene,” she says.
Keerthi says her mom was a mass of nerves the day she left to join the set of Geethanjali. “Amma and achan kept calling Priyan uncle until he chastised them both,” she laughs. Keerthi confesses that at first she was worried whether she would be able to pull off such a heavy-duty role. “But Priyan uncle seemed confident enough and once I took the plunge everything came so naturally,” she adds.
Watching her mother grace the big screen, Keerthy was bitten by bug at a very early age. “When I was a kid I used to tell amma that I will do all those roles she missed out on screen when I grow up. But when I finished my plus two all I wanted was to join a fashion designing course. I was not expecting my screen entry anytime soon and signing Geethanjali was a dream-come-true moment for me,” she says.
Though facing the arc lights was an all-new experience for her, Keerthi says she was not intimidated by the presence of senior artists including Mohanlal. “I was totally comfortable shooting with Lal uncle. But I got a bit tensed when all the media went on repeating the same question - ‘aren’t you afraid of sharing the screen with Mohanlal?’,” she laughs.
Though offers are pouring in Keerthi says she has no plans to be a full-time actress anytime soon. “I am not here to be part of any rat race taking up everything that comes my way. I did Geethanjali during my semester break and it will take six more months to complete my course. But if something irresistible knocks at my door I will definitely accept it,” says the actress who is also seriously considering a career in designing. “Five years from now I see myself as an actress-cum-designer.”
Keerthi knows being the daughter of an artist like Menaka comparisons are bound to happen. She says at this stage of her career she is simply looking for acceptance, not praise. “I know I cannot match up to her acting prowess, at the same time I don’t want to make her embarrassed in front of others. I don’t want Menaka’s daughter to be a disappointment. All I want now is the pass mark,” she says. Ask Keerthy about her father’s take on this star-in-the-making and she breaks into a hearty laugh. “He is my biggest critic, always ready to point out the smallest of my mistakes. While I am waiting for Geethanjali to release I am also preparing to take his criticism in my stride,” she smiles.