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The hues of a Jasmine

Meera Jasmine is all set for a slew of films in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam

INNATE TALENT What is cinema, it's all about emotions and relationship: Meera Jasmine

Clad in a pristine kurta-pyjama and hair let loose, she snuggles into a cosy futon, reminding you of a vulnerable white bunny. Relaxed and at ease with the world, Meera Jasmine talks about her hectic schedules in Telugu before she begins working in an array of Tamil films.

"I am just back from the sets of P. Vasu's latest film. Expectations are very high as this film comes immediately after the huge success of Chandramukhi.' The film has not been titled yet.

"We shot extensively in North India, from Delhi to Nainital. The Himalayan ranges were visible from Nainital, and it is such a gorgeous sight. Just watching them sets right your internal rhythm. You know, as a child I used to spend a lot of time on the banks of the Pampa during visits to my mother's place in Central Kerala."

Images of the past

The girl from Thiruvalla turns nostalgic. An amazing range of expressions flash across her face as she reminisces. "I think I am an emotional and hyper-sensitive person. I carry with me images of my past all the time - the landscapes of my native place, my old friends, my grandmother... For instance, I was constantly thinking of the days I spent with my ammachi (grandmother) while working on `Achuvinte Amma.' I shared a special rapport with her, like the one Achu has with her mother.

"And while watching Bharath Gopi perform as a teacher in `Rasathantram,' I could immediately relate him to Mathew sir, who taught me geography in school. So, when you enact a scene, certain nuances of similar situations you have gone through will definitely cross your mind, that too, unknowingly. After all what is cinema, it's all about emotions and relationships."

The brief silence is broken by her humming `Oh Bansuri...,' a song from `Rathri Mazha,' her latest film in Malayalam, directed by Lenin Rajendran. "My character in this film is very close to myself. Meera, dreamy, sensitive, hardworking, and independent, is a very complex role. Sans emotional outbursts, she deals with the intricacies of an unusual marital relationship."

The coming season promises to be a bonanza of Meera Jasmine films - with directors ranging from P. Vasu to Shyamaprasad and Lohithadas.

"My next release would be in Telugu. I have two assignments in Tamil, with S.J. Suryah and Dhanush respectively. The Dhanush starrer will be directed by Raju Sundaram. I will also be working in a couple of Lohithadas' films - `Chembattu' and a Mammooty starrer. I cannot tell you more since they are in the pre-production stages."

And Meera has a very challenging role in `Ore Kadal,' an adaptation of a Bengali love story, `Heerak Deepti' by Sunil Gangopadhyay. Mammootty will be playing the lead in the film directed by Shyamaprasad. Ore Kadal,' produced by Rasika Entertainments, will have three national award winners coming together. "I have been told that Satyajit Ray had initially planned to make `Heerak Deepti' into a feature film and but ended up making `Aranyer Din-Ratri,' a story by the same author. I am reading `Heerak Deepti' and it is such a gripping story.

Sensitive portrayal

Her sensitive portrayals in films such as `Kasthooriman,' `Ayutha Ezhuthu' and `Rasathantram' are clear indications of her ability to get under the skin of any character. Meera's unerring sense of timing and innate talent make her the director's delight. Beyond all these, she says, it is the passion for cinema that drives her.

"Cinema, being my profession, forms the integral part of my life. But its music that keeps me alive. I am a great fan of Ilaiyaraja. I used to go for recordings of Ilaiyaraja and the late Ravindran. It is interesting to watch them breathe life into a song," confesses Meera. "It is my favourite (`Anna Kili Unnai Theduthey'). I am trying to learn it."

Incisively taking the cue, she adds, "I know what the next question would be, and the answer is yes, I will definitely try my hand at playback singing."

SANGEETA

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