It was thrilling to be on the sets: Leela Samson

Danseuse Leela Samson, who recently resigned from her post of chairperson of the Censor Board, has just made her debut, at the age of 63, in Mani Ratnam’s love story O Kadhal Kanmani. Leela plays a frail but resolute Alzheimer’s-stricken wife and Prakash Raj plays her doting husband.

Those who know this rather low-profile Bharatnatyam exponent better, were surprised to see her on screen. Leela says, “Mani Ratnam’s office called and asked if I could meet him. He narrated a story to me and asked if I would like to play the character named Bhavani. I loved the story line. On the spur of the moment I said why not?” She did have to go through a screen test. “They did a camera test and a week later said that the role was mine. Only then that I got a jolt about the reality of the situation,” she says.

That she was working with the likes of Ratnam and Prakash Raj in her first film helped Leela with her confidence. “I have the deepest respect for the both of them. Prakash Raj knows his art well. He is jovial and helpful and I’m glad he was my first co-star.” As for the romantic lead, she says, “I loved Dulquer and Nithya! They are terrific young actors. Mani Ratnam’s assistant directors are all young and there is a lot of fun on and off the sets.”