Pooja Kumar wears multiple looks in ‘Uttama Villain’

Memorising long dialogue in Tamil that were spoken in the 8th century is no joke, more so if you have grown up in the US and have never been exposed to the language. But then actress Pooja Kumar is not complaining.

Just how many get an opportunity to work in a Kamal Haasan film?

And not in just one, but in three consecutive films. Kumar’s good fortune began with Vishwaroopam in 2013. Uttama Villain (releasing in the UAE on Friday) is her second film where she shares screen space with Haasan in the lead role. So does it really matter if you have to burn the midnight oil learning lines that are hard to comprehend?

“I keep reminding myself how lucky I am and feel humbled by the thought,” said Kumar with a smile.

“It’s indeed an honour to work with an actor who has contributed a good deal to cinema. Merely listening to him talk is acquiring knowledge.”

In Uttama Villain Kumar is an emotionally disturbed princess in the 8th century tale.

“I have multiple looks in this story and am presented in characters that I have never tried before. That made it exciting.”

To understand her character belonging to an ancient era, Kumar watched couple of old films, including Rekha’s Bollywood film, Utsav.

“I had to understand what life was before the existence of mobile phones and internet,” explained Kumar, who trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, USA and Roshan Taneja’s School of Acting in Mumbai.

“Getting the nuances of archaic Tamil was quite a struggle too.”

If Kumar missed out on doing a dance with Haasan in her first film, she is happy that in Uttama Villain she did a kathakali dance with him.

Still in awe of Haasan, Kumar said: “His passion for cinema and his drive to constantly learn all the time is so motivating. He keeps himself in tune with the modern times.”

She loved working under director Ramesh Arvind, who made her step out of her comfortable zone.

“He trusted me with the character.”

Memorable moments include listening to the late K. Balachander, who often shared his experiences on the sets. With Vishwaroopam 2, another film with Kamal Haasan wrapped up, Kumar is in a very secure zone today. And she is here to stay.