The Marathi actor says 'Malaikottai Vaaliban' is an Indian cinema made on a larger scale for a global audience with an Indian heart.
Marathi actor Sonalee Kulkarni is debuting in Malayalam with 'Malaikottai Vaaliban'. (Supplied)
Malaikottai Vaaliban, Mohanlal’s most-awaited movie, has an ensemble cast. The actors hail not only from across Indian film industries but also from several nations.
Sonalee Kulkarni, a popular Marathi actor, is playing an important role in the magnum opus directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery.
In an exclusive interview with South First, Sonalee talks about her debut Malayalam movie and sharing the screen space with Mohanlal.
The actor said she got a phone call a year ago from Malayalam director Lijo Jose Pellisserry and it felt unreal as she works majorly in Marathi and Hindi films.
Lijo Jose was impressed with Sonalee Kulkarni’s “Apsara” song in her Marathi movie Natrang (2009).
Sonalee Kulkarni is a popular Marathi actor. (Supplied)
“I performed Lavani in Natrang and he (Lijo) wanted me to recreate the same magic in Malaikottai Vaaliban, too,” Sonalee quipped.
The actor notes that this is an amazing time for Indian Cinema as boundaries between every region are becoming blurred. “All actors are working across industries. This is a good time to start one’s pan-Indian journey.”
Recollecting her initial days with Malaikottai Vaaliban team, Sonalee said actor Kuku Parameshwaran organised an acting workshop in Kochi.
“The toughest part was to learn the language. The workshop focused mainly on language training, especially the dialogues. You can’t learn Malayalam in a week. So, I limited myself to learning my dialogues. Learning the nuances, grammar, punctuations, stresses, and pauses in the Malayalam language was interesting,” she quipped.
Sonalee revealed that learning the song was an exciting part for her. “I needed to do lip sync; it’s not just about uttering the words but about saying them with correct emotion.”
Sonalee Kulkarni plays a theatre artist-cum-actor in ‘Malaikottai Vaaliban’. (Supplied)
Sonalee Kulkarni performed Lavani for a song in Malaikottai Vaaliban. Lavani is a Marathi folk dance.
The Marathi actor revealed that Lijo Jose wanted some music or dance form which the Malayalam movie buffs have never seen, and preferred Lavani. “So, this is my first Malayalam Lavani,” she was all smiles.
“My character speaks little Tamil and Malayalam. It is inspired by Marathi folklore. Each character in Malaikottai Vaaliban hails from a different region and has his/her own identity. Thus, we added different colours to the story and narrative,” Sonalee added.
She admitted that she did not learn Lavani before doing Natarang. “I am an untrained dancer and haven’t professionally learned Lavani. But when I was cast in Natarang, I researched the dance form,” she quipped.
According to her, the makers made changes to Lavani in the forthcoming Malayalam film. “We wanted to have a similar form but make it more global. So, we modernised it a little bit with Lijo Jose Pellissery’s touch,” Sonalee added.
Phulwa Khamkar choreographed the song in Malikottai Vaaliban. Interestingly, he choreographed the “Apsara” song in Natarang.
Sonalee Kulkarni with director Lijo Jose Pellissery. (Supplied)
Speaking about Lijo Jose Pellissery, Sonalee Kulkarni says he is spontaneous and keeps his actors on their toes.
“Lijo likes to try new ideas as and when they strike his mind. So, as an actor, it is challenging — especially if we don’t know the language. Working with him was insane because he is a perfectionist,” the actor noted.
Sonalee watched films like Angamaly Diaries (2017) and Jallikatu (2019). She describes Lijo as one of the few Indian filmmakers who will be talked about in the coming years.
About Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, the Marathi actor says he is an “absolute gem of a person”.
She observed that the veteran actor makes his co-actors comfortable whenever they are under pressure while sharing the screen with him.
“Mohanlal has a lot of warmth and encourages everyone. He is a down-to-earth person,” she added.
Sonalee Kulkarni with Mohanlal. (Supplied)
When asked if she is doing any action sequences in Malaikottai Vaaliban, the actor said she won’t reveal anything now.
“Everyone is doing some action in the movie in their possible ways. I am playing a theatre artist-cum-dancer named Rangarani in the film. She is into performing arts,” Sonalee revealed.
Recollecting the shooting days in Rajasthan, the actor said they shot in extreme cold (7 degrees Celsius) and hot conditions (40 degrees Celsius). They also shot at Gingee Fort in Pondicherry in hot conditions.
Sonalee terms Malaikottai Vaaliban as an exceptional film in her career.
“The film is not just about content and philosophy being told, but it is a larger-than-life experience. This is not a usual Malayalam film. It is a huge spectacle with a soul (content). It is a beautiful marriage between visuals and audio. It is a dream-come-true role for me,” she quipped.
The actor also informed that the upcoming film is a beautiful depiction of Indian culture. “Malaikottai Vaaliban is an Indian cinema on a larger scale for a global audience with an Indian heart.”
When asked about the differences and similarities between Marathi and Malayalam films, Sonalee Kulkarni said both films are similar — both content-wise and budget-wise.
The actor said many female-centric films are made in the Marathi industry and recalled that she started her career with female-centric movies. “The Marathi cinema celebrates womanhood,” she observed.
Sonalee was also vocal about gender equality in cinema.
“I believe it is changing over time. The pay parity should not be based on gender. It is about whether we can deliver and bring the audience to theatres. Every actor should be paid in due diligence,” the Marathi actor signed off.
May 07, 2024
May 06, 2024
May 06, 2024
May 06, 2024
May 06, 2024
May 06, 2024
