Amala Paul gets candid about movies, marriage, and divorce

Amala Paul opens up to City Express about bouncing back to life
Actress Amala Paul - Express photo
Actress Amala Paul - Express photo

Nothing about her is rehearsed. In a simple dress and a face free of pretence, Amala Paul is not your regular heroine. With a disarming frankness she talks about entering the industry, finding her true calling, her marriage, divorce and bouncing back to where she truly belongs.

Breezing through the storm
I feel like a new lifetime has begun. I was 18 when I made my debut, at 23 I got married and at 24 we parted ways. I grew up with the industry and missed out on a lot of stuff that girls normally do. I had nobody to turn to for advice. So I learned from my mistakes. Post separation I had my share of crying, but at the end of the day it was a learning experience.

Letting go is also love
I still love Vijay and will always do. He will always be a very special person, but at times letting go is also love. It was the most painful and difficult decision in my life because nobody gets married to separate later. Life is unpredictable.

No complaints, no regrets  
If you ask me whether it was a wrong decision to marry Vijay, my answer is NO. It made me understand myself and what I am not. I got married at the wrong age. Early 20s is not an ideal time to exchange vows. I have no complaints or regrets, so I didn’t let it break me. I grew out of it slowly and steadily. Even when I am sad, I take that extra effort to keep my self at peace and work towards a happy future. There are a lot of girls who look up to me and I don’t want any woman in an unhappy marriage to feel bad to take a decision. I am blessed to have a solid support system — my family, especially my brother Abhijith, who helped me a lot through the storm. He is one person I can’t live without. We share a very special and sweet bond.

The nomad in me
While I was not doing back-to-back films I travelled; solo trips and backpacking. It was an amazing time relishing new cultures and incredible sights. The experience was almost spiritual and it helped reinvent myself.    

Back to arc lights
Nobody felt that I was missing from the scene. Vellailla Pattadhari (2014) released after my marriage. And then there was Mili (2015) and Amma Kanakku that helped me grow as an artiste. The industry has been nice and welcoming after my marriage and divorce. The kind of films I have signed now have beautiful scripts with strong roles. I have always had a lot of heroine-centric films coming my way in all languages.

They still call me Mynaa
Mynaa (2010) is the closest to my heart. It gave me everything. Recently I was in a restaurant in Pudhucherry with a couple of friends. Suddenly a group of college kids started singing Myna Myna. I was so overwhelmed that I could feel the sting of tears.    

All set to own 2017
Right now I am doing Vetrimaran’s Vada Chennai opposite Dhanush. Then there is Thiruttu Payale 2 and VIP 2. I will be also be making my Kannada debut with Sudeep soon. Then there are a couple of Telugu projects and a Malayalam film that will be announced soon.

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The New Indian Express
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