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Saturday 12 October 2024
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நான் தியாவை புல்லட்டில் டார்ப் செய்த போது அவருக்கு பெருமையாக இருந்தது , தேவ்வுக்கு சூர்யா தான் ஹீரோ – ஜோதிகா

நான் தியாவை புல்லட்டில் டார்ப் செய்த போது அவருக்கு பெருமையாக இருந்தது , தேவ்வுக்கு சூர்யா தான் ஹீரோ – ஜோதிகா

மகளிர் மட்டும் நாயகி ஜோதிகா பேட்டி :-

மகளிர்மட்டும் ரோட்- ட்ரிப்பில் ஒன்றில் மருமகள் ஒருத்தி தன்னுடைய மாமியாரையும் அவருடைய நண்பர்களையும் எப்படி பார்த்துக்கொள்கிறார் என்பது தான் கதை… இந்த கதை எப்படி ஒரு ஆணிடம் இருந்து வந்தது என எனக்கு ஆச்சரியமாக இருந்தது. எனக்கு ஊர்வசி , சரண்யா பொன்வண்ணன் , பானுப்ரியா ஆகியோரோடு இனைந்து நடிக்கும் போது சிறிது பயமாக இருந்தது. எங்கள் முதல் நாள் படபிடிப்பு ஒரு படகில் வைத்து நடைபெற்றது. அப்போது என்னால் சரியாக வசனத்தை கூறி நடிக்க முடியவில்லை. அப்போது அவர்கள் மூவரும் தான் என்னை Comfort zoneக்கு கொண்டுவந்தார்கள். நான் ஊர்வசியிடமிருந்து நிறைய கற்றுக்கொண்டேன்.

நான் படத்தில் புல்லட் ஓட்டி நடிக்க வேண்டிய ஒரு காட்சி இருந்தது. எனக்கு சூர்யா 2 நாட்கள் புல்லட் ஓட்ட பயிற்சி அளித்தார். அதன் பிறகு மத்திய பிரதேஷ் மாநிலத்தில் உள்ள ஷீபா என்ற பயிற்சியாளர் ஒருவர் எனக்கு புல்லட் ஓட்ட பயிற்சி அளித்தார். நான் என் மகள் தியாவை பள்ளிக்கு புல்லட்டில் அழைத்து சென்று டிராப் செய்தபோது அவளுக்கு பெருமையாக இருந்தது. மகன் தேவ்வுக்கு சூர்யா தான் எப்போதும் ஹீரோ…. நாச்சியார் படத்தின் மூலம் நான் தேவ்வுக்கு ஹீரோவாக தெரிவேன் என்று நம்புகிறேன். நான் தற்போது சூர்யாவோடு ரெகுலராக ஜிமுக்க்கு சென்று வருகிறேன். நான் என்னோடு நடித்த சக நடிகர்களை விட ஐந்து வயதாவது இளமையாக தெரிவேன் என்று நம்புகிறேன்.

பெண் எழுத்தாளர்களுக்கு யாரும் தற்போது முக்கியம்துவம் கொடுப்பதில்லை. இயக்குநர் சுதா கொங்காராவுக்கு மாதவன் வாய்ப்பு கொடுத்தது நல்ல விஷயம். அவர் வாய்ப்பு கொடுத்ததால் தான் இறுதிசுற்ற என்று ஒரு படம் வெளிவந்து வெற்றிபெற்றது. இந்த நிலை மாற வேண்டும். பெண் எழுத்தாளர்கள் யாரும் அறியாத ஹீரோஸ் என்றார் ஜோதிகா…

‘Diya sees a hero in me with Magalir Mattum’

Jyotika has been a darling of the Tamil audience ever since her debut in 1999. The adulation she enjoys has only grown over the years. Unlike most of her contemporaries who disappeared into oblivion post marriage and motherhood, Jo continues to command author-backed roles from both new-age filmmakers and veterans. What also remains unchanged is her humility and honesty. There’s an enthusiasm of a newcomer as she speaks about her upcoming film Magalir Mattum. “This film has been in the making for two years. The movie is all set to hit the screens on September 15. Suriya ensured that the movie hits the screens as per the schedule. I am as eager as my fans to know how it would be received.” She adds, “As this is a male-dominated industry, it is quite a challenge for a female-centric film to be made and make a profit. The situation is such that, even a bad movie which has a male lead, runs to packed houses for three to four days, while a female- centric film despite having a good content is taken off the theatres after a weekend.”

However, she is undeterred and confident about her film. “Bramma approached me with a bound script three months prior to the shoot. I was impressed when I read the story. It talks about how a daughter-in-law takes her mother-in-law and her friends on a road trip. This is a story that has been untouched. What surprised me more was that a story like this came from a man,” says Jyotika.

Speaking about men, does she discuss her scripts with her husband Suriya, who has also produced this film under his banner 2D Entertainment, before agreeing to do a film? “Suriya gives me the freedom to explore and has always stood by me. We have a good understanding of each other as we made our careers together.”

Coming back to Magalir Mattum, which also has veteran actors Urvashi, Saranya Ponvannan and Bhanupriya, Jo recalls the experience of shooting with them. “I was very nervous on the first day of the shoot. Urvashi was a part of the original Magalir Mattum and she would have been the ‘lady Kamal Haasan’ had she got enough opportunities. On the first day, we shot on a boat and I couldn’t deliver my dialogues properly. But they calmed me down and became very good friends over time. I learnt quite a few techniques from Urvashi,” she muses.

The actress is also seen riding a Bullet in the teaser of the film. A visibly excited Jo says, “Though I didn’t have to prepare for the role in terms of performance, I had to learn to ride it and lose weight for the film. Suriya helped me out for a couple of days and even rode pillion. I warned him that he would fall off. He said, ‘Jo then let’s fall down together’. Then came a biker Sheeba, who trained me. We also went to Uttar Pradesh to train for this. My daughter Diya was very proud because I picked her up from the school on the motor bike.” What about her son Dev? “For Dev, his dad is the hero. But not to worry, Dev will see a hero in me when Nachiyaar releases,” she smiles, before quickly adding, “But I’m compete with his father when it comes to fitness. We hit the gym together. Also, I always look at least five years younger than my male co-stars.”

While Jo struck a fine balance between content-driven films and commercial cinemas in the early stages of her career, after her comeback she has consciously stuck to women-centric scripts like 36 Vayadhinile and Magalir Mattum. “I got a lot of offers but I wanted to do movies like this because for me money isn’t a criterion anymore. I am a mother and a wife and I have a family to manage. But yes, I want to do films like these because it’s important to show powerful and independent female characters. Our production 2D Entertainment has consciously made it a point to support such scripts,” she says.

However, she says there is dearth of such roles. “But I am happy that Nayanthara is choosing women-centric stories. Back then, Simran, Laila, Sneha and Meera Jasmine made the best use of the limited good roles we were offered,” she candidly remarks. She adds, “But you don’t see roles being written for them now. Actresses are utilised only until they turn 27 or 28. Beyond that they’re relegated to doing insignificant roles. It’s very unfair. We need to have strong roles being written for female artistes and portray them like regular girls and working women. Filmmakers need to stop clinging on to the idea that the audience will not watch a married actress playing the lead. The audience will watch and be influenced by what you offer them. It is also the responsibility of the lead actors to carefully choose their work and make it a point to ensure their female counterparts are treated with dignity. Because, we as artistes need to be responsible. Millions of people get influenced by what they see on the big screen. If you show a lead actor hitting a woman or cheating on a girl, the youth will think it’s okay to do it. We need to be careful of what we choose to show the future generation.”

Box: Women writers are ignored by filmmakers

Jyotika says that the industry has failed its female writers. “Not many people come forward to produce films written by them. Madhavan had faith in Sudha Kongara and provided her with Irudhi Suttru and the movie became a blockbuster. I hope the situation changes in the future. There are lots of female writers who are still snubbed and are the unsung heroes of movies that are being made.”




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