It’s been over 16 years since Trisha entered tinsel town, and it’s for the first time that this ravishing lady is doing a double role in the much-awaited supernatural thriller Mohini. In a chat with DC, the svelte actress talks about her spine-chilling action sequences in the film, whether or not she believes in the paranormal, how she sees the industry as progressive, and why she’s dying to do a Jayalalithaa biopic.
We’ve heard that the Mohini script was meant for a male actor. Is that true, we ask? “I’ve also heard from director Madhesh that a few actors were interested in doing Mohini. When he called me, I was shooting for another film. He gave me a one-line summary of the script, saying it was quirky and different from the usual horror thrillers. He also said he had me in mind while writing the script. I felt an extra sense of responsibility when he said that,” Trisha says.
The actress adds that her double role in the film is anything but run-of-the-mill. “I play a chef called Vaishnavi. For the role, I learnt to cook a variety of foods, because I am a foodie. I also play Mohini, a ghost who terrorises people to get revenge. There’s a scientific DNA connect between the two and Madhesh has given the characters a touch of class and elegance,” she says.
The action sequences, performed without a body double, proved to be quite a challenge for the soft-spoken actress. “The entire film unfolds in London. The stunts are something that I’ve never attempted so far. They are normally reserved for big heroes. However, I don’t fear anything in life, not even ghosts, and so I chose to do the risky shots myself, with proper preparations and rehearsals, of course. And I pulled it off,” Trisha says with pride.
Quiz her about her long absence from the big screen, and she replies, “I am doing six Tamil films including 96 and Sathuranga Vettai 2. But they’ve all had some delay or the other due to various factors beyond my control.”
Does she have a dream role? “Oh yes! I always want to do period films. I love to play a princess with fascinating costumes and opulent jewellery,” she says.
With biopics being the current trend in cinema, who would she like to play on screen, given the opportunity? Without hesitation, Trisha says, “Undoubtedly it is our late CM J. Jayalalithaa amma. As a woman, she is a great inspiration to me. I have liked her since I was a student. She was the chief guest for an event at my school, and she gave such a memorable speech. I am even ready to put on weight to do JJ ma’am’s biopic!” she says.
When asked about the alleged rift in her friendship with Nayanthara, she says that they continue to maintain a cordial relationship. “It is the media that created the ‘friendship’ between us, and it is the same media that said that we split,” she says.
Trisha says that she is not a feminist, and she has never experienced a gender bias in the film industry. “I am not a feminist, but I believe in equality. I have never come across gender bias in terms of treatment. If you ask me about the pay gap, I think it is justified. It is directly related to the business that a film does, after all. I feel the industry is progressive,” she says.
As a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, what are her thoughts on the rape of a minor girl in an apartment complex in Chennai? “It is heartbreaking! They recently did a survey and found that India is the most dangerous country to live in. As a child, when I was shuttling between NY and India, people there would tell me, ‘India is very safe, remain there’, but that’s not the case anymore. Such child-abusers should be given severe punishment. And more awareness should be created among children and parents,” Trisha says.
