Trivikram advised me to be selective: Anupama

Like Sai Pallavi and Madonna Sebastian, Anupama Parameswaran too caught the attention of many after ‘Premam’ released. But unlike her co-stars, Anupama had very little to do in the film acting-wise but she admits that her role in the Telugu version of the same name has been “tweaked a bit” and is “little longer too.” “I play Suma, a Hindu girl and it has been tailored to suit Telugu nativity. I played the same role in a different way,” she asserts speaking to Talkies.

Anupama admits that the production house’s credentials and Naga Chaitanya factor drove her to sign the Telugu version. “Also, I love ‘Premam’ way too much and I really wanted to be a part of the Telugu remake. When I was mentioned about the people behind the Telugu version, I had no reason to decline it,” she reveals, pointing out that when she shot for the original version, she was of the same age of the character and had fun.

“Director Alphonse Puthren’s team comprised mostly of youngsters and we bonded big time on sets and it was the same thing on the sets of Telugu ‘Premam’ too except for the fact that I was fairly new to the language.” Ever since the song teaser of ‘Premam’ was released, many memes were created, particularly by the fans of Nivin Pauly, criticising it and actors Chaitanya and Shruti Haasan. Put that to her and she seems puzzled, “I don’t know how to react to this but I can assure you that the team has given its 100 percent.

People who criticised the song and the trailer can have their answers once the film opens.” Anupama played Mary George sans make-up, a factor which led her to win many admirers particularly women. But for the Telugu version, she had to resort to some touch up. “”Without makeup I couldn’t have handled the Goa schedule for sure. It was a terrible climate to shoot and make-up, to some extent, helped me to prevent sunburns,” the diminutive actress, who would be seen in braided hair in the remake, smiles.

‘Premam’ is her second effort in Telugu and she points out that she is not in a rush to do more films. “I don’t want to jump into something, which I’m not comfortable with. I’d rather wait. I always find happiness in waiting for good roles,” she affirms, admitting that she goes to Trivikram for advice. “I speak to him whenever I want to watch a Telugu film or sign a new film. I consider his inputs valuable. He wanted me to be selective with what I do as he knows my capabilities and limitations.”

Ask her whether she ever thought that she would become an overnight sensation and she says that she always admired actors and whenever a film impressed her, its hangover stayed with her for a week. “So acting was somewhere in my heart but ‘Premam’ happened out of nowhere. My friends sent my pictures to Alphonse Puthren’s team and that’s how I got to audition for the role,” she recalls fondly.

Anupama, who has dubbed for Telugu ‘Premam’, says that her academic career has taken a backseat because of films. “I had to discontinue graduation (Communicative English) to concentrate on films but I’m planning to go for distance education,” signs off the Malayali, who would participate in the new schedule of Dil Raju’s ‘Shatamanam Bhavathi’ up next. “It’s a role completely different from what I’ve played in both ‘A… Aa’ and ‘Premam.’”