Suhasini Maniratnam, last seen in Malayalam filmmaker Blessy’s Kalimannu, returns to Malayalam screens as a doctor this weekend.
“My character, Dr Sarayu, loved her classmate but had to marry a man of her parents’ choice,” said Maniratnam.
He dies young and she is widowed at 32.
“Years later, after all her responsibilities are over, she meets the classmate she loved. How both of them decide to revive the romance and the companionship is our track in Love 24/7.”
Suhasini’s only regret is that she could not dub in her voice.
“It’s a pity as I speak my own lines, be it Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. I even dubbed for my first Hindi film, Waiting, with Naseerudin Shah,” Maniratnam said.
“Though I read and speak Malayalam, Malayalis won’t accept outsiders speaking their language.”
About her director, Sreebala K Menon, she said it was the first time a woman had directed her.
“I liked Sreebala’s spirit. She was never happy with how I did every scene, which was great since we improvised.”
Maniratnam is working on four Kannada films this year, two of which, Preethiyalli Sahara and Naani, are ready for release.
Come September, Maniratnam will be working on another Malayalam film.
