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EXCLUSIVE: I’m deserving of stronger characters, says Mamta Mohandas

The actor, whose most recent release was Vijay Sethupathi's 'Maharaja', discusses her commitment to taking on strong, impactful roles.

ByHaricharan Pudipeddi

Published Jun 19, 2024 | 9:15 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 20, 2024 | 1:18 PM

Mamta Mohandas, predominantly known for her work in Malayalam cinema, has made a return to Tamil cinema following her brief appearance in 'Enemy' (2021).

In her nearly two-decade-long career, Mamta Mohandas has only starred in five Tamil films, including her latest release–Maharaja (2024), which also happens to be her big comeback to Tamil cinema after a long hiatus.

In the Vijay Sethupathi starrer, Mamta Mohandas plays a character called Asifa, who works as a physical education teacher in a school. She described Asifa as a character “with a mind of its own”.

Mamta Mohandas talks about her comeback to Tamil cinema with Maharaja; why she’s been quite picky, and what she found fascinating about the project, besides the lack of female characters and working with Vijay Sethupathi.

Excerpts from a quick conversation:

Q: In the last decade, you’ve done just two Tamil films. Is it because you’ve been picky about what you want to do?

A: Honestly, I’ve been extremely busy in Malayalam. In a year, I could only accommodate 2 to 3 films and even though the momentum picked up post-COVID, life was faced with a few pauses and I had to deal with them. Both the Malayalam and Tamil industries are going through an exciting phase and I want to be part of the films that are being made now. I heard a few scripts in Tamil but they were not to my satisfaction, but then Maharaja came along.

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Q: What did you find special about Maharaja and what convinced you to give your nod?

A: I was fortunate enough to be offered a character that has a mind of its own. When the trailer was released, mine was only a smiling face throughout the darkness. Also, the intrigue around the Lakshmi character sucked me in. When director Nithilan Saminathan narrated the story, I kept wondering how the suspense would be maintained till the end.

I never thought Maharaja would arrive at this kind of climax when I first heard the story. I did not understand the emotional travel of the film while I was shooting. However, when I watched it, I was mind-blown.

Q: Now that you’ve done Maharaja and have one more project with Arulnithi, what kind of projects are you keen to sign on?

A: I’m looking at a certain kind of positioning when I listen to scripts and when I don’t get that, I’m not going to do it. Be it any industry, I feel I’m deserving of better characters and movies. There’s a dearth of heroines who can shoulder stronger characters. I see myself taking up such strong characters and doing films.

Q: Maharaja saw you teaming up with Vijay Sethupathi for the first time. How was that experience?

A: Among Indian actors, there are very few, who can be classified as distinct. There has been no better one than Kamal Haasan sir for a long time. In Malayalam, it must be Mohanlal sir. Now, there’s Vijay Sethupathi. He is more than just a hero to me; he’s a strong artiste, and I respect him greatly because of this. He’s simply a class apart.

Mamta Mohandas and Vijay Sethupathi in ‘Maharaja’. (Supplied)

Q: For someone who has predominantly worked in Malayalam cinema and has made it your home, what do you have to say about the recent success streak of Malayalam films?

A: This is an interesting transition phase that we are going through. We are finally making films and telling stories that matter. Malayalam cinema was always known for its content, especially in the 1990s.

However, the influence of Bollywood impacted the industry in the 2000s, leading us to imitate practices from other industries without much thought. Unfortunately, we had to bear the consequences of these missteps.

Our filmmakers eventually recognised that our strength lies in telling original, rooted stories. This realisation is evident in the current storytelling approach of Malayalam cinema. As a Malayalam actor, I believe the Malayalam industry demonstrates a high level of efficiency compared to other industries.