Filmworld
From real to reel: Pooja Kumar on acting
Multi-talented actress Pooja Kumar, who will soon be seen in Kamal
Haasan-starrer "Uttama Villain" and "Vishwaroopam 2", says she'd like to
bring experiences of her life into acting.
"I have a degree in
finance and politics. I've produced short films and I'm a trained dancer
too. I enjoy taking out time to do these things and people like Nandita
Das and Shabana Azmi inspire me. They're actors who are also actively
involved in social causes, among other things.
"I don't want to be greedy about doing 100 films. I want to experience life and bring all that into my acting," Pooja told IANS.
She
made her acting debut over a decade ago in Tamil drama "Kadhal
Rojavae", but she couldn't continue acting because of personal
commitments.
"I was very young when I worked in my first film. I
was born into a family of doctors and engineers, and my folks were very
particular that I complete my education. So, I went abroad and finished
my education and spent the rest of the time in acting, learning dance,
and finally, when an opportunity presented itself I grabbed it," said
Pooja, who was last seen in Tamil spy-thriller "Vishwaroopam" (2013).
She happens to be one of the few actresses to have worked with Kamal in three back-to-back films.
"I'm
deeply honoured to have made it to this exclusive club of legends such
as Sridevi, Jayaprada and Gauthami who've shared screen space with Kamal
more than once. And all this wouldn't have happened without luck," she
said, adding she'd love to work with the legendary actor again.
Recalling
her experience of meeting Kamal for the first time, she said: "He's so
humble and welcoming to everybody. I could see in his eyes the
excitement about what he does in cinema and that sort of inspired me to
strive for excellence".
Before Pooja became Kamal's heroine, she was his hardcore fan. She admits the transition from his fan to heroine wasn't easy.
"It
was challenging in a different regard. I'm just a newcomer and to
perform alongside a legend that has spent over five decades in cinema
was quite nerve-wracking. The bigger challenge was to actually develop a
relationship and act alongside with him especially when it comes to
bringing out the chemistry between us," she said.
"When I saw
what he was doing, I felt motivated to prove my work. The fan in me
automatically was replaced by the character I had essayed. Also, I was
not just seeing the actor Kamal Haasan to get swayed as a fan. I was
also seeing him as director, producer and so many other roles he takes
up on sets," she added.
Pooja says her roles in "Vishwaroopam 2" and "Uttama Villain" are very "different" and "challenging".
"In
'Vishwaroopam 2', I've done my own stunts - there's one scene where
Kamal and I defuse bombs and engage in a gun battle - all underwater. I
don't think any Indian actress has done her own underwater stunts. I've
kind of become a pioneer in that and that's something different I bring
to the table," she said.
"In 'Uttama Villain', I play a character
from a different era. I play a non-Tamil-speaking modern-day actress,
who speaks chaste Tamil. The role also gave me an opportunity to do
three different dance set-pieces - a commercial number, another one set
in an earlier period and then, dance choreography as part of a stage
play.
"It was challenging to do all these in a single film. I'm a
trained dancer, and when I couldn't get an opportunity to showcase my
talent in 'Vishwaroopam', I was upset. But my role in 'Uttama Villain'
had a lot of dancing to do," said Pooja, who considers Kamal to be a
magician.
One quality that really impresses her about Kamal is his ability to "find a balance between all that he does".
"He's
like a magician and you want to see every act he has for us. You really
can't pick a best one. I think what he has given to cinema and the
industry as an individual is much more than what he's achieved in any
particular role," she added.