Saturday Oct 25 2008, Bangalore

"I don’t have a godfather"

National award winning actress Priyamani is very much the girl-next door, who just happens to be an extrovert. In person, she is every bit as bubbly and energetic as she seems onscreen. The dusky beauty exudes confidence and her ear-to-ear smile is highly contagious.

For a famous star who has earned national award for the best actress, Priyamani is surprisingly humble. With an envious national award for the best actress, back-to-back hits in Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu movies, and a penchant for

chatting (yes, you read it right), the pretty lass is clearly on the rise and poised to become a celebrity powerhouse.
Unlike her peers, Priyamani is little worried about being the numero uno in the business side of show-biz and firmly believes that nothing else but performance matters.

Priyamani is best known for her portrayal of ‘Muthazhagu’ in director Ameer’s ‘Paruthiveeran’. Though her initial movies by Bharathiraja and Balu Mahendra failed at the box office, she eventually tasted the success in the following years.
Here’s what the model-turned-actress has to say about all the things that have kept her on track and out of the headlines in a one-on-one with Madhu Alexander, Editor, Istream.in.

About Priyamani?

Priyamani is a very friendly girl. I wouldn’t want to say I’m a down-to-earth person, as I would love to hear the same from others. I love to talk a lot, make friends and I am an extrovert.

What made her want to become an actress?

It all happened by chance. Actually director Fazil gave me the first offer but due to my exams we couldn’t work together. After my exams, I was doing modelling in Chennai and director Bharathiraja happened to see my photographs and called me. After the screen test and formalities, as others say, the rest is history.

Her mom is a badminton player. Why into acting and why not into sports?

I was definitely into sports. I have played shuttle badminton and volleyball at school level. Somehow I couldn’t pursue it at the college level. May be modelling and films was my calling and that’s why I didn’t pursue sports.

Priyamani, the singer?

I am most definitely a bathroom singer but that doesn’t mean I am so bad at it either. My mom says I can hold a tune and I agree with her. My mom’s side has music in their genes and I guess that has rubbed off on me too. Yeah, may be I can hold a tune.

If not an actress?

If not an actress, I would have done a hotel management course or would have become an airhostess.

What was the most difficult part of having to portray Muthazhagu that won her the national laurel?

In one way, I don’t think anything was that difficult but the entire movie as such, we have worked very hard. We shot in extreme conditions for about 160 days in a village. The climate was extremely hot, and the conditions were very bad.
We have done some unimaginable stuff and I am very happy that the hard work finally paid off. The movie was appreciated and so was everybody’s work.

Post National Award, has the pressure increased on her or is she taking it in her stride?

Professionally, I do have a lot of pressure because expectations and responsibilities have doubled. There is expectation from the industry and fans as wellSo I need to live up to the name of being a national award winner Yes, professionally there is a lot of pressure, but otherwise I am cool, and I am taking it lightly and taking it everyday as it comes Post National Award – on talks that she throws up tantrums on the sets and wants to bathe only in milk & honey?
No, I would never even dream of bathing in milk and honey though they say it is really goodI am still the same person and I can vouch for it and you can ask anybody from any unit I have worked withI think I am still the same, I will continue being the sameI don’t think winning a national award could ever change the way I am