Cheerapoouvkalkumma Kodukkana…(Dhanam) is the one song that comes to mind when you think of actress Charmila.
She had carved a niche in the minds of Malayali audience by playing some beautiful characters in the 1990s, before taking a break. In 2014, she was seen in Lal Jose’s Vikramadithyan starring Dulquer Salmaan and Unni Mukundan, playing the role of Unni’s mother. After her big screen return, the actress has now forayed into the small screen in a totally different get-up.
She plays a significant role in the television serial Mangalyapattu broadcast on Mazhavil Manorama. Charmila, who is quite happy about the shift has been getting quite a few offers for TV for a long time now but she is choosy about her roles. “I wanted to do something other than the typical female characters we see in the serials. Then Mangalyapattu came in which I play Menaka, an entrepreneur and a mother of two kids. So, there is a balance,” explains the actor who is now settled in Chennai.
Charmila is overwhelmed by the response she has been receiving for her role. She feels that Malayali audience have started liking her more after coming to television. “They appreciate my performance in the serial. In movies, if the film is not a hit, the majority wouldn’t watch it but everyone watches serials. People consider me as one among them. Some even come on the sets and take photos with me. They are happy that I am back,” she adds. Charmila is gradually adapting to the new system and longer schedules. “We have to get up early in the morning and come back late at night. Also, there’s a lot of travelling. I am getting used to the tough routine,” she chuckles.
Ask her about the resemblance in the story line of Mangalyapattu with Pattusari (serial broadcast earlier on Mazhavil Manorama), she replies, “There may be some similarities, but it is not a carbon copy. Nobody can do the same script; there are variations. All I can say is that my acting is totally different from the other actor.” The actor has no plans to take up another TV project right now, however, she will be seen on the big screen soon.
