CHENNAI : Urvashi is one of the rare female actors in Indian cinema to play titular characters in her 50s. Breaking stereotypes surrounding age and gender in the film industry with each film, the actor who last played the lead in Appatha, directed by Priyadarshan, is back to playing the titular role in J Baby, directed by Suresh Mari and produced by Neelam Productions. Though she is naturally delighted by her success streak, she mentions that it has added a lot of responsibility to her. “When I play a lead character I am shouldering the hopes and hard work of the entire team. So the responsibility is heavier than a supporting role. But I am thankful that God is blessing me with such quality work even after so many years.”
After proving herself time and again in vulnerable and naive characters, Urvashi once again plays a role cut from a similar cloth in J Baby. Interestingly, it is this omnipresent vulnerability in roles that unites Urvashi with Dinesh, who plays the other protagonist and Urvashi’s son in the film. “I have never gone searching for these roles. They somehow ended up in my hands. I try to ensure that each character is different, despite all of them being naive youngsters,” shares Dinesh.
Urvashi, on the other hand, wholeheartedly accepts that she is destined to play these roles. “I am not sure if I chose these roles or if they chose me. I guess it is a mix of both. I didn’t want to play grim, dark characters for the sake of it and end up feeling unnatural. I play different versions of myself through all these characters. I believe this adds a layer of realism to the roles, making it easy for the audience to connect with them,” she says.
The veteran feels her role in J Baby, despite carrying similarities to her previous works, is close to her heart, because of the live setting and the people surrounding it. “J Baby is a real person and I am playing her in the film. It is her biopic. I felt her soul influencing my actions and saw my mannerisms change. Unlike the usual shooting spot, where we return to the caravan after a shot, we were all mingling with the people of the area as they treated us as their own.”