Meenakshi - the Bengali girl

by swatika Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:03 pm

Meenakshi has entered the list of heroines making a beeline to Kollywood. Born in Kolkata, Meenakshi is obviously a great fan of directors like Rituparno Gosh. She is perturbed the way glamour is being portrayed in Bengali masala movies. ‘In sharp contrast, in Tamil filmdom it is colourful, vibrant and dignified.’ She played the lady love of Karan with a refreshing degree of freedom in Karuppasamy Kuthagaikarar which had a decent opening.

She is currently acting in Perumal opposite Sundar C, Taxi No 4777 with Ajmal, Napolean- starrer Pallikondapuram and along side Lawrence Raghavendra in Rajathi Raja. Speaking about her role in Perumal and Pallikondapuram, Meenakshi says, ‘I play the part of a rural girl in these films in which both the characters offer scope for me to perform’. ‘In Taxi no 4777, my character is loaded with glamour, I play a bubbly young, trendy cosmopolitan girl.’

A native of Bengal, Meenakshi’s original name is Pinky Saran. She has done her academics and also a short stint in amateur theatre in Kolkata before moving over to Mumbai to try her luck. ‘I was happy to make my beginning with Karuppasamy Kuthagaikarar. It was a relishing experience to work with Karan, who encouraged me and motivated me’.

Not averse to glamour roles, Meenakshi says, ‘I am ready to play such roles provided they are within limits. It should not be thrust on me or on the big screen’. Thanking her co-stars and directors, she says, ‘I love to venture into Bollywood and make a name for myself there too’.

A great admirer of Rajnikanth and Kamal Haasan, she says, ‘In the coming years, I wish to do many more challenging roles’. Is language a problem for her in Kollywood? ‘Of course yes. But thanks to assistant directors and my co-stars, I understand the meaning of the dialogue and can emote well on the screen. However, I do a few rehearsals before getting ready for the final shot’, she says.