Waited for film like 'Iraivi' to make a comeback: Kamalinee

Actress Kamalinee Mukherjee, last seen in a fleeting but well-received role in Kamal Haasan-starrer 2006 Tamil thriller "Vettaiyaadu Villayadu", says she is kicked about making a comeback with upcoming film "Iraivi".

"Even though I played a fleeting role in 'Vettaiyaadu Villayadu', it was received warmly and thus, I was eagerly waiting to make a comeback to the industry. But every role that came my way since then didn't excite me as much I had hoped for," Kamalinee told IANS.

It seems like the long wait paid off with Karthik Subbaraj-directed "Iraivi", which she describes as the perfect comeback venture.

"When I heard the story from Karthik, I knew I wanted to be part of this project. The clarity and honesty with which he spoke to me, really impressed me. The last time I heard a story with such conviction was when director Krish narrated 'Gamyam' to me," she said.

"Iraivi" in Tamil means goddess. Does the title refer to the powerful women in the film, going by the posters?

"Most people think this is a woman-centric film. It's a film where both men and women play very powerful characters and they're given equal importance," she said, adding that she plays a very "refreshing" and "challenging" role.

Paired with actor-filmmaker S.J. Suryah, she said she had a blast working with him.

"Suryah shone in his role. It's amazing how he fits into a character, so effortlessly. I enjoyed working with him. Since he's a director, he has amazing patience level to understand what the director wants from a scene," she said.

Slated to release on June 3, the film also stars Vijay Sethupathi, Bobby Simhaa, Anjali and Pooja Devariya.

Talking about her co-stars, Kamalinee said: "No director can trust his actors like Karthik, and it's because they are so talented. There was so much to learn from the rest of the cast. The kind of energy Vijay and Bobby brought to the sets is amazing. Both Anjali and Pooja played their roles to the tee."

Kamalinee says she wouldn't miss a chance to work with Karthik again.

"When I accepted the offer, I wasn't aware of Karthik's work. I liked what I heard and I gave my consent. Half way into the film, I watched his 'Jigarthanda', and I knew what I had got into. I like his brand of humour, which is unlike anything you see in Tamil films," she said.

On a concluding note, Kamalinee said, "Iraivi" will be the kind of film people want to watch it more than once.

--IANS

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