Abhirami Venkatachalam Talks About Her Upcoming Projects, Body Shaming, And More

Actor Abhirami Venkatachalam reprises her role as Geetha in the upcoming web series Iru Dhuruvam Season 2. The crime thriller is about Victor chasing a serial killer who leaves behind couplets of Thirukural while trying to find his missing wife. Abhirami Venkatachalam, also a title winner of Miss Tamil Nadu 2017, opened up about her character,  other projects, and challenges she faced along her journey.

Venkatachalam shared her experiences of being a classical dancer, actor, and also how she survived body shaming in an interview with SheThePeople, Abhirami Venkatachalam said, "Since the first season of the series, released in 2019, was well received by the audience, people have been enquiring about the second season and want to know what happened to Geetha. Along with the viewers, I too have been eagerly anticipating the release of the sequel."

Abhirami Venkatachalam Interview

Iru Dhuruvam S1, your screen presence was quite limited. Please give us an insight on your role as Geetha.

A: Geetha is very different from the roles that I have played. She is a mature woman, a wife, and a mother. I had to bring in a lot of emotions, and it was a very loud performance for me. It was quite challenging, but I’m glad that I got this role. Besides playing the lead, these are the kinds of roles where we get to showcase our acting skills. Also, working in ">Iru Dhuruvam was a mind-blowing experience. Since it is a crime thriller, we shot in locations that were filled with mosquitoes and completely dusty, so that was a challenging part, but having such amazing co-stars was fun experience.

You established your calibre as an actor in Nerkonda Paarvai (Pink Tamil Remake). What is your take on movies with social messages?

A: Films like Nerkonda Paarvai aim to create an impact and a positive change. Social movies have ability to address issues which are awkward and provoke society to think. I believe people, at least 85% of them will recognise these issues. Recently, a teenage kid harassed me at a crowded place, and that is alarming because it indicates a serious problem with the future generation. We need to look at where we are going wrong and work on fixing it.

"Usually, society blames a woman’s outfit when she is harassed or abused, but I was wearing a traditional outfit. Women are in no way responsible for the crimes that happen against them, and society needs to start questioning the perpetrators."

Your next release on the big screen will be Dhuruva Natchathiram. Tell us about your experience on the highly anticipated film.

A: I’ve got director Gautam Vasudev Menon to thank for. His shooting spots are the best because they are so lively and you feel at ease. Assistant directors are more like friends, and needless to say, GVM is an amazing director and a completely down-to-earth person. Working with Vikram was an amazing experience; he is an incredible actor and keeps the set alive. I’m a huge fan of Simran and thoroughly loved my time with her during the shoot. I’m thrilled to be a part of DN and eagerly look forward to its release.

Share with us your journey from Kalakshetra dancer to anchor to Bigg Boss to acting.

A: I began modelling only as a means to procure financial support for my education. I always thought I'd pursue dance, but acting was never on my mind. As a model, I had to change 30 to 40 sarees per day and stand on heels throughout. Anchoring helped me know how the industry works, get to meet people, connect with them, and gain a lot of experience. Bigg Boss was a platform that connected me to the audience.

"Acting is an exciting profession in which I take a new birth and live as a different person in each project. And I get to stay in the minds of the audience with each character I play."

There are times when I’ve felt hopeless and wanted to quit the industry because my talent and work weren’t being recognised. I hold on to the hope that the right things will happen at the right time. Hopefully, I'll get the big break soon, which will propel me to the next level as an actor.

You’ve faced a lot of body shaming and trolling during the COVID-19 pandemic. How did you overcome all the negativity?

A: After that one photo of me came out, where I had attended an event and people saw that I had gained weight, everyone started commenting on my body. Basically, this happened during COVID, what I understood was that hurting someone’s feelings and laughing were more important for some people than thinking and doing the right thing.

Initially, I didn't mind the online trolling because I was following the rules, staying indoors, watching Netflix, and obviously, anyone would gain weight. But every time I got a work call, all people would ask me was about my weight, as if my talent didn’t matter at all. This went on for a very long time, and gradually it took a toll on my emotional health, and I spiralled down into depression. I’m a strong woman, but this completely broke me, and I began avoiding going out, attending phone calls, and even stepping out of my room. I used to stand in front of the mirror and cry, and I even contemplated changing my career. But my mother and brother were very supportive of me and said that I’m beautiful the way I am and should lose weight only if I wanted to and not because people are trolling. So, I started working out only when I felt like it.

I stopped taking the trolling to heart because that only took a toll on my physical and mental health. It’s just wasting my time and energy, so let them just bark. The people who are trolling today are not going to come and help me when I need something, so crying over their comments is just not worth it. I had to learn it the hard way, but I did. Everybody goes through their own share of struggles in life, so people need to be more empathetic towards each other.

Tell us about your upcoming projects.

A: Currently, I’ve finished shooting for the projects that I've signed and am awaiting their releases. Fans will definitely get to know about any new updates through official announcements.

Iru Dhuruvam will be released on Sony liv on February 24.

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