She’s done a whole lot of glam roles in Telugu, but that doesn’t mean she’s open to on screen smooches as she makes her Tamil debut. Hot, young starlet Catherine Tresa sets the record straight. “I wouldn’t do a liplock scene unless I absolutely had to,” she tells us. “But if it’s a character that excites me and required it, then perhaps...The thing is, I’m not comfortable with extreme intimacy,” she adds. And those who have been following the Kottayam beauty in films like Chammak Challo and Iddarammayilatho, will be surprised to see her in a rather traditional avatar in Karthi’s Madras, the audio of which was launched on Monday.
So what was it like going from Catherine to Kalaiarasi?
Pretty cool actually. I like playing roles that get me out of my comfort zone. And with Madras (formerly Kaali), we shot the entire film in North Madras. Some of the lanes were so narrow that I think even a two wheeler would have had some difficulty maneuvering in them!
Quite the opposite of where you live in Mumbai...
Oh yes. And it did take me a couple of days to acclimatise to the area and become a North Madras girl for the role. Also, I think seeing the way people live there with buildings so close to one another, and how happy they are, it gave me a fresh perspective on life.
What was working with Karthi like?
I found him to be very dedicated as an actor, but beyond that he was just very friendly and warm as a person
Speaking of memorable, tell us one thing you’d never forget from your first Kollywood set.
Okay. (Pause) But this isn’t pretty. I saw a dead rat on the street one day and it really freaked me out!
Does this have anything to do with your private chef who stays with you while on set?
I’ve been on a strict diet for a really long time now actually, but let’s not talk about food.
Tamil then? We hear that you’ve been taking some lessons when you’re not shooting.
I definitely think that when you know the language, it helps you emote better. That’s why, I hope to know enough Tamil to dub for my next film Kanithan. The role is quite a contrast from Madras, very glam and we’ve finished shooting about three schedules so far.
You’re a trained pianist and from the looks of that tattoo on your arm, music is a big part of your life...
I couldn’t live without it. And when I’m off set, I’m always working my dancing - pop jazz, western, hip hop. I think it would be really fun to play a rockstar some day.