Delna Davis, better known for her character opposite Anu Mohan in You too Brutus is celebrating the success of her latest Tamil movie Kurangu Bommai. Having debuted in Tamil, Delna has been juggling between the two south Indian movie industries for a couple of years.
Movies like Happy wedding came in the course but her real take off seems to have finally happened with Kurangu Bommai.
The cheerful chic was profuse in her words when asked about her experience in Kollywood.
The Kollywood debut
The passionate dancer from Chalakudy, in Thrissur district, Delna made her debut in the Tamil industry. According to Delna, she never aspired to be a cine-artist but destiny brought her to the world of glamour.
“I am a classical dancer. It is my dance master who spoke to his friends in the Tamil industry regarding my expressions and performance. I did not have any clue about my entry to the silver-screen until the night before I heard the script,” she said.
Delna says that Kollywood is offering her characters with immense potential for performance whereas Mollywood pushed her into the 'theppukari' stereotype after the very first movie.
Difference between the two industries
For Delna, Mollywood was never her home industry.
“Every single character I am offered in Malayalam has some connection with my character in You too Brutus. I have been offered a number of roles after Happy wedding but each of it had some shade of betrayal in a relationship. Theppukari is the identity Malayalam cinema gave me. I wish I could break that stereotype and do a loud, powerful character in a good off-beat Malayalam movie,” she said.
But Delna has got an entirely different take on the Tamil industry. “Tamil might be the industry I'm going to prosper in,” she said. Though Delna essayed innocent village girls in both her Tamil movies, the two roles differed in their reasons and possibilities.
“Kurangu Bommai gave me an incredible experience of acting under Nithilan Swaminathan who is undoubtedly a pioneer. Initially I struggled to mug up the dialogues but I mastered the language in a course of two and a half months. Now I can confidently give an interview in Tamil,” Delna told Onmanorama.
Upcoming projects
Delna has a handful of projects waiting in line, which span across the three south Indian industries.
“I have signed up for a Telugu movie which is yet to be named. There is also a Tamil movie in hand, the details of which are yet to be released by the makers,” Delna said. She also said that she was getting good offers from Malayalam but was deliberately avoiding the 'betrayer' roles.
Well, let me try my luck in Kollywood and Tollywood and come back with a distinct character in Malayalam,” she said.
Dream character
A classical dancer by training, Delna Davis wishes to perform the character of a dancer in Malayalam cinema. “I never dream of performing classical dance in a Tamil or Telugu movie. Malayalam cinema has got something to suit the mood and true soul of classical dance. I wish I could perform classical dance in a good Malayalam movie,” she said.
For Delna, it is high time she took a break from the rural, innocent village girl characters she's been doing. The young actor is looking forward to playing an outright boisterous role which, unfortunately, she hasn't been offered yet.
Responses on Kurangu Bommai
“Fortunately, Kurangu Bommai has been receiving very positive responses from the audience. We've earned good ratings from popular sites and have been marked as a distinctive thriller in recent times.
To say, Kurangu Bommai is exclusively a director's movie. Every single aspect of is an ode to the expertise of the filmmaker maestro.
A good actor is never used to her full until she meets the right director. I am blessed in that way,” Delna said.