This is the best time for women in Tamil cinema: Pooja

Pooja Kumar made an impact in Kollywood with Viswaroopam, and then, went on to do more than two films with Kamal Haasan. The actress, who claims to be ���choosy��� when it comes to scripts, is now part of a film titled Meenkuzhambbum Manpaanayum which has Kalidas Jayaram and veteran actor Prabhu playing the lead. She says that she is happy to be associated with Sivaji Ganesan���s family through this film now.
���I want to utilise the amount of exposure I have all these years and take Tamil cinema forward,��� begins Pooja, who is also quite excited about her role in Meenkuzhambbum Manpaanayum. She reveals, ���I am playing a role of a female don ��� a mafia person of sorts. I was kicked about this role as it is something unique. I haven���t come across a character of a female don in an urban backdrop in Tamil cinema so far. Major portions of the film will be shot in Malaysia.���
Pooja has, in fact, attended acting workshop for this role and even took acting references from Hollywood. ���I watched lot of Al Pacino���s and Robert De Niro���s performances to learn how to give subtle transitions to the character. I watched Kamal���s Nayagan, too, for reference. My character also has a comical twist to it,��� she says, adding, ���The film is a feel-good romantic comedy. Our team is flying to Malaysia to shoot the second schedule in a few days.���
Apart from her Malaysia schedule, the actress says that she has lot more to do in 2016. ���Though I visit Chennai often, I don���t have a place to stay here. The plan is to buy a house here this year. I am also signing two more films after Pongal, one of which is a Tamil-Hindi bilingual.��� So has she picked up any Tamil yet? ���Naan Tamil kathukuttu irukean,��� she laughs. ���I have a teacher to train me.���
Pooja is also awaiting the release of Viswaroopam 2 this year. ���My character is stronger in this film. I have performed stunts without a body double. As I am a trained scuba diver, I did some underwater stunt sequences, too,��� she says. Meanwhile, she has also wrapped up the shoot of another woman-centric film, with director Vasanth.
Her last film Uttama Villain garnered mixed reviews from the audience. Ask her if she is affected by criticism and she says, ���Audiences and critics have the right to either like a film, or not. I acted in Uttama Villain because I loved the character and the script. These days, everyone is reviewing films on social media. It���s not a bad thing, as everyone is entitled their own view. However, they also need to understand the art of
filmmaking.���
Pooja is happy about the way Tamil cinema is making an impact on the global scale. ���From Kamal Haasan sir, Rahman to director Manikandan, many filmmakers strive hard to take Tamil cinema to a global audience. I wish to be part of their movement. Films like Kaaka Muttai and Thani Oruvan have really impressed me. These days, filmmakers are coming up with many woman-centric films. This is really the best best time for women in Tamil cinema.���
Ask her about her current relationship status, and she smiles and says, ���I will talk about my personal life when the time is right. Now, I am busy with films.���