Reddy to make a comeback

As a VJ for SS Music, she was everyone’s dream maiden, a poster girl for the latest trends. Then, Sriya Reddy went on to act, excelling in rustic roles that called for brazenness and tenderness in equal measure. Not many can forget her fiery act as Eswari in Thimiru, or her lovely roles in Veyil and Kanjeevaram. All of them came her way because directors loved her “Dravidian face.”

Now, after marriage and motherhood, and a six-year hiatus from acting, Sriya is back with director Vadivel’s Andaava Kaanom. The film sees her taking the rural route again — she plays an angry woman, but someone with a lovely backstory. The movie is about a lost vessel.

“When I first heard the title, I laughed. But director Vadivel convinced me it was arresting,” says Sriya.

Once news of her making a comeback broke, everyone kept asking her why she kept away in the first place. “Well, after Thimiru, I never really got anything as exciting. I did not want to play a typical heroine; I wanted scope to perform,” she says. Shanthi of Andaava… is different from Thimiru’s Eswari, says Sriya. “Eswari was angry, high-pitched and prone to violence. Shanthi goes through different emotions. She reacts like a normal woman would when someone takes away something that belongs to her. There’s some justification for her behaviour.”

In the film, which has been shot in Theni, Sriya has also dabbled in comedy. “It’s like a dream-come-true for me. I love being back on the sets as an actor.”

Even when she was away, Sriya was connected to the movies. She’s married to producer Vikram Krishna, actor Vishal’s brother, and she was involved in their home productions. “Cinema is part of our everyday conversations.”

Her family told her to trust Vadivel’s script. “I’ve shot for about a month for the film and it’s been a lovely experience,” she says. “At no point did I feel a novice was directing me. He has great confidence.”

Sriya says it rankles when actresses are branded married women or mothers. “Does that make them less desirable? Why slot them?” she asks, adding that it is a misconception that women don’t stay in shape after motherhood. “I’m now the fittest I’ve ever been. I literally have a two-pack!”

Sriya’s also reading some other scripts. “I’m looking at remakes, challenging roles. And yes, I think I’m going to give rural subjects a break. I can slip into a cotton sari like the back of my hand. They have become my comfort zone. I want to get out, do a sports film or play an undercover agent. I’m ready for action,” she smiles.