Tuner's day with Mouna Ragam, 'Shakthi-Velan'
'Acting is my interest, singing is my passion. So, when I got a chance to act in Mouna Ragam serial on Star Vijay, it was like getting flavoured ice cream,' says Krithika, who plays dual characters in the serial as Shakthi (girl) and Velan (boy). Hailing from Bengaluru, the 8-year-old ‘actress’, came to Chennai a year ago, to cope with her studies. Our Editor had a chat with Baby star, Krithika and her mother, Lakshmi Priya through Chennai's eveninger, News Today,recently. Here below, we have the attached the excerpts on her debut and future plans. Excerpts from the interview: Q: Hey bud, tell us about you?
Baby Krithika: I was born here in Balaji Nagar, Adambakkam. After a year, we went to Bengaluru. This May, we came to Chennai for my studies. Now, I am in class 3 here in San Academy, Chennai. I am interested in acting and have done modelling. When my parents found my interest, they took me to a workshop conducted by renowned photographer, Hema Pillari Karthick. I posed as a model for her. Later, she forwarded my photos to production agencies and also shared it on Facebook. The production company helped get screen testing as Sakthi in Mouna Ragam. Q: Tell us about her experience with the the co-artists? Lakshmi Priya: She was very happy working with the professionals. Especially, director, Thai Selvan: he is her guru. He becomes a child and acts out the scene to teach her. She listens to him and follows his instructions.Though the co-actors are senior to her, they treat her well. Before some violent scenes, they tend to discuss and do rehearsals, before enacting the scene. Especially, Shamitha Sreekumar, who is the antagonist, loves her. Actually, they are all like family.For this project, she has changed herself completely. Right from style, accent, she has changed everything. For this serial, she learnt Tenkasi slang that was taught by the director. Q: How you find out the doll is interested in acting? Lakshmi Priya: When she was much younger, she would pose for photographs. People used to say that she was made for acting and that it was in her blood. Q: Baby, Share us the experience before and after shoot?
Baby Krithika: We plan and shoot for the first 10 days of a month at Thiruvananthapuram. For the remaining 20 days,I attend classes in Chennai. Though it is a little hard switching between studies and acting, I do it because I like it. My teachers send the lessons through WhatsApp. I read through them in the mornings. Q: How was her bonding with the other artists? Lakshmi Priya: Actually, the name,'Sakthi' is the name of the director's mother. So, he cares for Krithika. Many a time he says he feels that his mother is on the set. He addresses her as ‘Amma’, creating a special bonding. Q: Who are all responsible for your rise in the field? Baby Krithika: I would to thank my parents, Balasubramanian and Lakshmi Priya, director Thai Selvan and many others who brought me to this level. Q: Baby, Who is your inspiration in acing? Baby Krithika: I like Vijay Sethupathi and Oviya. They are good at acting naturally.
Q: In the debut,'Mouna Ragam', you are playing the role of music. Well, do you really know singing?
Baby Krithika: I do. I quit my training temporarily for the sake of the shoot. I will start again, as soon as the project gets over. I like western and folk. Q: Interesting, Then who is your inspiration in singing?
Lakshmi Priya: Mouna Ragam's playback singer Varsha Ranjith is her inspiration in vocal music. Q: And have you faced any difficulties so far? Lakshmi Priya: While shooting earlier on, one of her teeth broke. The director needed to shoot two pending scenes. To avoid jumps between scenes, we pasted the broken tooth, which caused a little discomfort. Now, she takes a lot of care to avoid such problems. Q: Mam, share a few things about the bud's experience,when switching the roles, Sakthi and Velan? Lakshmi Priya: Actually, she loves both roles. While switching roles, the accent, dressing style and acting has to change. Along with the make-up man and hairstylist, director Thai takes efforts to switch from glossy look to retro. Dubbing artist, Ilampirai, the one who gives voice for Sakthi and Velan is one among the pillars of her success. Q: Who is your best buddy,baby? Baby Krithika: Manohar Krishnan, who plays the role of Murali Krishna, is my best buddy. We both are close on and off screen. Q: I guess, you have a well famous tutor, who teaches you the nook and corners on acting. Who is that bud?
Baby Krithika: My mom and director Thai Selvan are my tutors. Q: As she has become a child celebrity, how do people react to her in school? Lakshmi Priya: Actually, she asks me if she is such a celebrity. Students and teachers in her school take photographs with her. Sometimes, they ask her about the upcoming episodes. She reveals a few things. Even now, in school and the neighbourhood, people identify her as 'Sakthi', not Kirthika. Q: Mam, I hope, she would have got many chances. Can you share a few among them from the call sheet? Lakshmi Priya: In 2015, she got a chance to act in a film called, 'Pirai Thediya Naatkal' starring Ashok Selvan and Parvathi Nair. Due to the floods in December, the works got cancelled. Other than this, she has got a chance to act in advertisements and a film called, 'Kedi'. The shooting for this is to begin in Madurai. Due to lack of dates, we have put the project on hold. Q: Bud, what do you want to be? Baby Krithika : I aim to rock the screen and stage with music. I wish to become a singer. I am working on it. Despite Carnatic, I love western the most Lakshmi Priya: I want her to shine in the field of arts.Well,music would be the best bet. Despite arts, I too wish her to serve the nation with well-dressed black coat woman- a good lawyer.
