She has aged gracefully and hardly fits the role of an ageing mother but those are the roles we see her in films. Yesteryear lead actor Nadhiya Moidu returned after a hiatus and played a mother to Jayam Ravi in M Kumaran S/O Mahalakshmi (2004) and since then, she has been offered only ‘mother’ roles.
“Unfortunately, not many roles are written for actors my age,” rued Nadhiya. The actor, who left audiences stunned by her looks and acting chops in the 1980s, took a sabbatical and returned to screen a decade ago. “It’s wonderful to be in your 40s; your children can take care of themselves, you have free time and can take up things you wish to do,” she shared.
The actor now considers scripts that give her meaty roles. “The Tamil film industry is lacking; there are roles for actors above 40 in Hindi and Telugu films, but not here,” she added.
Her next release is a Telugu flick by Trivikram Srinivas, A Aa, starring Nithin and Samantha. Nadhiya says, “I play an important character; a possessive and obsessive mother who thinks she is rational. But the audience might perceive her as irrational. It’s great to work with Trivikram again.”
The actor says she connects well with younger directors and actors. “I started off (acting) in my teens and used to be the youngest on set and never really had anything in common with anyone. But now, when I work with youngsters, I have a ball. They respect me and we treat each other like buddies.”
Though she lived in Mumbai, she has never forayed into Bollywood. But she has no qualms doing a Hindi flick if her role is demanding. “I was offered a remake, but I felt I had nothing to do. I liked the role Shefali Shah played in Dil Dhadakne Do (2015). If I get something like that, it would be great. I am in awe of Bollywood films and some of them have really great scripts,” she said. “I enjoyed Ashwini Iyer’s Tiwari’s Nil Battey Sannata.”
Nadhiya confessed that she is not director-material and will not wield the microphone. But as we chatted, we realised that she has some amazing story ideas up her sleeve and has shared them with a few actors as well. “A film about a woman in her 40s, looking back at her youth or her first love, can make a wonderful story,” she quipped.
While many film actors have found work on the small screen, Nadhiya is reluctant to take up acting for television. “I find it redundant...we need to start bringing in new concepts. There are some fantastic shows in the West, which are enjoyed particularly by people in their 30s and 40s and we need similar shows here,” she averred.
As she was ready to wrap up, Nadhiya shared a word of advice to women. “I believe women have to be independent in some way. Do anything that brings you joy. When your children see you juggle family and work, they get inspired; even you get a sense of satisfaction.”