Nithya Menen On Kumari Srimathi: 'The Story Had A Rare Spark'

“WHY should there always be a challenge?” retorts actress Nithya Menen when asked about the biggest difficulty in adapting to her character in her new web series Kumari Srimathi. “Life can be easy too, at times. It can be an enjoyable experience and quite fun. This series was one such experience,” she avers.

Indeed, as one watches the new limited series, it is easy to see that the actress is having fun on screen. As a woman fighting to save her ancestral house, she is vulnerable and witty in equal measure, making the show a treat to watch.

In recent years, Menen has hit a sweet spot. Be it her act as a supportive friend to Dhanush in Thiruchitrambalam or as Pawan Kalyan’s wife in Bheemla Nayak, she brings gravitas to the screen each time she appears on it. Making her point without histrionics, her comfort and camaraderie with the camera (while on display since her debut) is even more noticeable in her recent work.

A DIFFERENT IDEA

When the actress first heard the story of Kumari Srimathi, she connected with it immediately. Nithya recalls, “The premise of the story had a rare spark, to which I connected easily. When I was told that I would be playing a character in her 30s who runs a bar, I fell in love with the idea. Even in the OTT space, which has such varied themes, this was a different story to explore.”

Working in the OTT space is interesting for Menen. Though the process of work is similar to movies, she meets different people, which is a bonus. “I think I get to meet people who are of a similar wavelength to me while working on OTT platforms. The sensibilities are less massy, and the treatment is subtle, which is something I personally like,” she muses.

She is also enthused at the variety the medium brings with it — different from what the big screen offers. “There is a definite diversity in the content, not only from the actor’s point of view, but also in the writing and narration,” Nithya opines. “There is an unhealthy obsession with one kind of filmmaking which boxes movies into a single narrative, but here we have the ability to explore.”

HAVING FUN

Starting out when she was very young, the actress feels that she is in a happier space now — both personally and professionally. Looking back at her career, she says, “I never really intellectualised anything and went with the flow. I grew as a human being along the way and the way I’m choosing scripts is different right now.”

Menen is at peace with herself right now and her priorities are different. With more than a decade of work under her belt, she realised that working with people she has fun around is just as important as the script she works on.

“I like to be happy more than anything, even doing work,” she shares. “Now, I’m choosing work depending on a multitude of factors. It might be a location that I haven’t explored or people that I like. I am currently putting people ahead of scripts. I realised that if I have to work alongside someone for four to six months, I need to trust and be in sync with their artistic abilities.”

The versatile actress seems to have hit upon the magic formula for a balanced life. Working in different industries, multiple languages and ensuring that she does work she is proud of — she’s found a golden mean between success, comfort and experimenting with characters.

With the initial reviews of Kumari Srimathi lauding her performance, is she happy that her hard work is appreciated? Nithya laughs, “Of course, it’s a nice thing when I hear positive things about my work, but I am more focused on the process than the result. I don’t follow up too much after I’m done with my work or do I obsess about what people say.”

Currently, the actress is shooting for a Hindi film in Scotland, where she is soaking in the sights and sounds of the country apart from having a ball shooting with like-minded people. With her penchant for pushing the envelope, we’ll wait for Nithya’s next!