Small screen lures big screen beauties

With television shows becoming the major staple for entertainment for people in Kerala, several actresses, who have left the film industry or are yet to break in, have chosen to foray into the mini screen.
Mollywood actresses Navya Nair, Meena, Urvashi, Chippy Renjith, Poornima Indrajith, Indu Thampi and Praveena are among the current favourites on the small screen. From judging reality shows to anchoring and playing prominent roles in TV serials, their hands are full with projects.They tell us why they took the big leap and what make them tick.
Star value matters
Chippy, whose latest venture, Akaashadoothu, has a good viewership, tells us that it’s the star value which a movie actress brings to television that plays a major factor. “People who have appreciated us during our Mollywood stint are happy to see us on television, which has a better reach compared to movies in Kerala,” claims Chippy.
Not so hectic schedule
Chippy says she’s only part of projects that are shot in the capital city. “Serial shoots hardly exceed a week and being in Trivandrum means I could go home if a few scenes are cancelled for the day,” she says. Actress Meena, who is a game show host in Telugu and reality show judge in Tamil and Malayalam programmes, says, “Working in a movie requires you to dedicate a lot of time and I am not up to that task right now.” Agreeing with her, Poornima, who is a talk-show anchor, says that televisions programmes are stationed at one place and there is not much travelling required compared to movies. “Even while I was working in movies I was doing a television show,” she says.
Attracting new viewers
With channels competing to make technically good shows to attract new viewers, the mini screen is now the best bet for actors, who are yet to make it big in Mollywood, to get noticed. Former Miss Kerala Indu Thampi, who is currently starring in T K Rajeev Kumar’s serial, Oru Penninte Katha, says it was after her small screen stint that she started getting good film offers. “I took up the project because of Rajeev Kumar, who I think is one of the best teachers I can learn acting from at this stage in my career,” says Indu, who had made her big screen debut with Father’s Day last year. She says her acting stint in television has garnered her more response than her unnoticed debut film. “More offers are now coming my way and I am grateful for the experience. Not just that, television gives a wider canvas to perform, especially for a new face. I don’t think I would get such a character very early in my career in the film field,” she says.
A small screen break
For many popular actresses like Navya Nair and Meena, who had taken a break from filming after wedding, their small screen stint leave them with ample time to be with their family. “The advantage is that I needn’t put in as much time and effort compared to films and I can spend enough time with my family,” says Meena.
Challenges galore
While television might have light workload, they come with its own challenges. Poornima says that while it definitely has a greater reach, it has to be understood that familiarity breeds contempt. “In cinema, you get to play different characters and you get to showcase different ranges as an actor, but through serials, you are the same characters for years,” she says and further adds that performance is important in television as well as movies and there’s no compromise in it. “Whatever we do, we want people to watch it, acknowledge it and appreciate it. That’s what an actor as well an anchor desires,” says Poornima.