Seven years ago, a simple yet captivating wink catapulted Priya Prakash Varrier from a debutante to an overnight sensation. As a college-goer back then, Priya says, “I had no advice on how to capitalise on that fame.” As an adult, in retrospect, she feels, “With proper guidance, I could have encashed the fame for better opportunities.” From then to now, Priya has acted in Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi films, adding Kannada and Tamil to the list this year. Now, she describes herself as someone with better “sensibilities and maturities” to handle the opportunities that come her way.
Priya is currently on a hot streak in Tamil cinema, having made her Tamil debut in a Dhanush directorial (Nilavukku Enmel Ennadi Kobam), and then following it up with an Ajith Kumar action entertainer. However, when asked if she would have still picked the films if Dhanush and Ajith were out of the equation, Priya candidly says, “Honestly, most probably not,” adding, “Let’s be honest, one of the biggest reasons we say yes to a project is the people attached to it.” According to the actor, When she got a call to be a part of Good Bad Ugly, the decision to take up the role was a no-brainer. “I told Adhik that even if he didn't give me a detailed narration I would still sign on because it was an Ajith sir film. Because not every up-and-coming actor gets a chance to be a part of such a big film,” she says.
One of the most talked about portions of Good Bad Ugly was Priya’s rendition of Simran’s ‘Thottu Thottu Pesum Sulthana’. Priya says she didn't know she would have to shake a leg to the song until they started shooting the film. “During the look test, I was asked to try on several costumes, including a striking yellow one that caught my attention. I questioned why my character would wear something so distinctive, and the team mentioned it was for a song. Even then, I didn't immediately make the connection to the iconic look from the song.” Priya was only informed three days before the song was shot, with a short period dedicated to rehearsals. “Azhar master asked me to watch the video, describing the song as one of Tamil cinema's most iconic songs. I watched and was blown away by Simran ma'am's performance. Initially, I felt the pressure to live up to her standard, but then I decided to focus on my own interpretation instead. I see my version as a tribute to her iconic performance. Although only a small part of the song made it to the final cut, we did shoot the entire sequence."
While being part of a big production was a dream come true for Priya, it is the time she spent with Ajith Kumar that she cherishes the most. One of her fondest memories from the shoot was when the actor spoke to her uncle. “My uncle is a big Ajith fan, but a year and a half ago, an accident left him wheelchair-bound with speech difficulties. I was more excited for him to meet Ajith sir than I was for myself. After our meeting, I shared my uncle's story with Ajith sir, and he immediately asked for a video call,” she recounts. For her, the cherry on top was when Ajith asked her to create a keepsake as a memory. She says, “During the call, he had a heartfelt conversation with my uncle in Tamil, which brought me to tears. Ajith sir noticed and jokingly said, 'Priya, don't cry; they'll think I made you cry.' He even asked me to capture a screenshot as a memory. That moment is etched in my heart.”
Priya quickly recalls another moment when she was starstruck. “While working on NEEK, I learnt a lot from Dhanush sir. I was impressed by his conviction as an artist. He is extremely talented. Acting, singing, dancing, direction; you name it, he has expertise in the subject. It is not easy to be so learnt and be dedicated to the art form,” she says. On the topic of dedication, Priya reveals how she had to push through her fears to perform the pre-climax stunt scene with Arjun Das. “I was actually very scared to perform the stunt scene, as I have a fear of heights. That day, I was very nervous. I had no confidence when Supreme Sundar master explained the stunt sequence to me. While everybody on set was motivating me, Arjun Das was giving me tips to ensure that I didn’t hurt myself while falling.” Call it beginner's luck, but the first time she performed the stunt, she came out unscathed. However, Adhik wanted another take, and that’s when things went south. “The second time, I landed face-first and ended up injuring myself badly. After that, the entire set came to a standstill for nearly 45 minutes, with the cast and crew members trying to comfort me from my pain. After I returned from the shoot, I had to go through physiotherapy for a week to get back on track.”
With the success of Good Bad Ugly, Priya is currently listening to a number of scripts, with hopes of doing more films in Tamil. She says her dream role is to "play a queen in a historical film.” As for a game plan to survive in this highly competitive industry of cinema, Priya Prakash Varrier concludes by saying, “If there’s one plan, it’s this – to still be acting 20 years from now.”