Two years back, when Utthara Unni was studying in Chennai, she got a call from filmmaker Lenin Rajendran for an audition for the heroine’s role in his movie Edavapathi. However, when he saw her, he rejected her saying that she was too small for that character.
Utthara was very much disappointed because she had always been a fan of Lenin’s movies, especially Mazha in which Samyuktha Varma did the female lead.
It was through Samyuktha that Lenin reached Utthara. But, sadness paved way to joy when Lenin called Utthara a few days later and confirmed her role.
“I was very happy that I could begin my career in Mollywood with a good crew,” says Utthara. Before Edavapathi, she had done a Tamil movie. But, shooting of Edavapathi didn’t go smoothly. Due to some interruptions, the shooting prolonged for quite a long time.
“Often people had asked me whether this movie would happen. But, I was hopeful and I didn’t commit to anything else because I wanted Edavapathi to be my debut movie. Now, looking back, I’m happy that my patience paid off. I feel so happy that the everything is back on track now,” explains Utthara, who is doing a double role in the movie.
“In Edavapathi, everybody has got double roles as the plot is developing through two different eras. In the past, I am doing the role of a Devadasi called Vasavadatha, an innocent woman and in the present, I appear as Yamini, a modern girl. To her, the story of Vasavadatha is pure imagination. It is indeed a challenging character,” says Utthara, who is acting opposite Siddharth Lama. Bollywood actor Manisha Koirala plays her mother in Edavapathi.
“One advantage of the movie is that I could share screen space with prominent figures such as Manisha madam. She talks less in the locations and so, initially, I was a little afraid. Gradually, I became comfortable. What made me happy was that she appreciated my dancing. She was surprised to know that I run a dance school at such a young age,” says Utthara.
“The whole shooting has been a great experience. Siddharth was very friendly. We had a lot of fun while shooting in Manali. The most exciting part was shooting at zero degree,” adds Utthara, who essays the role of a dancer in part one of the movie. She is also the recipient of Natya Vilasini and Natya Mayuri award.
“Every dancer who ventures into movies dreams of doing the role of a dancer on screen. I am happy that I could do that in my first movie itself. Having knowledge in dance benefited me in this movie,” says Utthara who is planning to do a Ph. D in dance.
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