The coy, half-sari-clad girl we have seen in a variety of deglam roles is a far cry from the happy-go-lucky, jeans-sporting Nandita who likes riding bikes in real life. It was for the sake of films she started wearing traditional outfits, she says — remember Attakathi , her debut? To this day, she does not understand why the hit film’s director, Ranjith, chose her to play the village-based Poorni, though he had only seen her in a pair of jeans and T-shirt in her home town, Bengaluru.
“But I’ve begun to feel comfortable in these clothes now. My roles present me with opportunities to see myself in ways I never thought I would. In fact, I loved the way I was captured on film for Mundasupatti . Again in my next, Idam Porul Yaeval , I play a farm girl where I rear cows and goats which gave me the shudders while shooting. I got myself a tan to suit the tough nature of the role. Never thought life would change so much,” she laughs.
If it was her role as Kumudha in Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara that made her a darling among the audiences, industry insiders greatly appreciate her portrayal of the tough coach in Ethir Neechal . “Wherever I go, from kids to adults, people refer to me as Kumudha. Even if I tell them my name is Nandita, they prefer to call me by that name. I feel proud the name has stuck and that people will associate it with me as long as I’m in the field. Credit should also go to Vijay Sethupathi because the way he said it immortalised the character. Meanwhile, directors and actors compliment me on my acting in Ethir Neechal . They also respect the fact that I agreed to do a supporting role in my second film despite playing the heroine in my debut. Getting the SIIMA Award for Best Supporting Role in Ethir Neechal was just an added bonus,” she says.
A chatterbox by her own admission, this quick learner didn’t take too long to pick up Tamil either. She will soon be dubbing for her films. In her spare time, she has also mastered driving.
“These are not things you’d expect from the tearful Kalaivani I played in Mundasupatti .”
The actress, who also wants to play sophisticated roles, is getting plenty of offers from other industries. “I get offers from Malayalam and Telugu but I’m so busy with Tamil that I don’t even get time to visit home (Bengaluru). But I shouldn’t complain,” she says, making it evident that Kumudha is happy.
