In the limelight again

01/06/2014

Actress Kasthuri opens her second innings in filmdom with a role in Rajesh Pillai’s Mili
Tamil-Malayalam actress Kasthuri was on top of the world when she decided to do the vanishing act from tinsel town. After a short gap, the tall and slender actress makes her comeback in Rajesh Pillai’s Mili, playing Nancy, a strong woman with a mind of her own.
“There is so much I can see of my personality in this character. Bold and determined Nancy is an ophthalmologist with a never-say-die attitude who turns out to be an inspiration for the shy and introverted Mili, played by Amala Paul,” says Kasthuri, on the sidelines of the shooting in the capital city.
It is clear that the hiatus from the arc lights have not taken the shine away from the model-actress. As soon as the still photographer steps in, Kasthuri effortlessly gives him a dozen poses to choose from as she smiles and dazzles for the camera.
“I enjoy acting, especially when the characters are not the run-of-the-mill women we often see on our screens. Nancy, I am sure, will be a memorable role for me. Rajesh wanted me to don the role and once I heard the story written by editor-turned-scriptwriter Mahesh Narayanan, I knew it would be a role of substance,” she says.
Kasthuri is back in the limelight with a quiz show Vina Vidai Vettai on Tamil channel Puthu Yugam TV, which is making waves on account of her savvy turnout as quiz master, and a wardrobe that is making fashionistas sit up and take note of her sense of style.
“I have always been a quizzer. In fact, in Chennai, my friends know me as a quizzer for I had my mark in school, much before I made a name as an actress and model,” she says and adds: “Thanks to my passion for quizzing, I have friends all over the country. There are a couple of my friends in Kerala too and we plan to catch up once the shoot is over,” she says.
Kasthuri had also participated in the semi-final of BBC’s Mastermind (hosted by Siddartha Basu).
She says television has always been a comfort zone for her as she has hosted and participated in several shows without acting in a single serial. Malayali viewers would remember Kasthuri as Jayaram’s heroine in the comedy Aniyan Bava Chettan Bava, directed by Rajasenan. “It was a hilarious movie and I am still called Ammu, my character’s name in the film, by Malayali friends of mine in the United States, where I stay now,” she says.
She has been listening to scripts in Tamil and is working in Vada Curry. “But I would like to take my time and then sign on the dotted line. I am a mother of two and my family does need my time. So it has to be a juggling act but I am definitely going be working in films again,” she says firmly.

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