The Bollywood film Fashion captivated Saranya Anand like nothing else did. In the lead characters, she saw an echo of her dreams — that of becoming an actress on her own terms without any godfather to help line her path with rose petals. Saranya was determined that she etch a name for herself as an actress but an entry to tinsel town was not easy. Saranya had a knack for picking up dance steps within minutes and became a self taught dancer — a very good one. That talent gave her an opening and she started her journey to Mollywood by becoming an assistant choreographer.
After six films as a choreographer, she says, “That was the right decision. I got to know the pulse of cinema, the daily grind and routine of the job, the right people to network with and also more importantly how an actress should carry and project herself. Those were lessons I picked up on the job and what gave me a ringside view of the happenings in cinema.”
Even as her assistant choreographer stint was giving Saranya rewards, she did not lose sight of her original goal. She rationalizes, “Choreography is something I could return to at any point of time but an actress has a shelf life and I did not want that window to go.” Soon Saranya signed her first film Cappuccino in a major role and then followed the Mohanlal starrer 1971 Beyond Borders along with three upcoming films Chunkz, Achayans and Akasha Mittai. Though it was Cappuccino she signed first, 1971.. is her first release in which she plays a military nurse. Saranya reveals, “For 1971..., I was given a choice between a full length role or a small scene opposite Mohanlal and I decided to take the small role. After all acting opposite Mohanlal is any actor’s dream.” Saranya took away some special memories from her role, “The shoot was held in Rajasthan at the border areas and I got to see the life of the armed forces at close quarters. I learnt a lot from my shoot there.”
Cappuccino has her playing a prominent part in a triangular love story and is a youth oriented movie. While speaking about the Jayaram-starrer Achayans, Saranya gushes, “This was a film I enjoyed shooting for. The cast and crew bonded really well and it was fun all the way. I play the role of a front office assistant in a hotel and this film is in a thriller mode.” Chunkz has her playing a major role and is set in the backdrop of college life.
It is the Samuthirakani- directed Akasha Mittayi that has her excited as an actress. She reveals why, “The film is basically a children’s film and I play the elder sister of one of the children. Seema plays my mother and I get to act out a lot of emotions. Another reason was that I could act with Jayaram again."
