Think comedy, think Reshmi. The comedienne who talked her way into cinema and serials through stage shows, is now an all too familiar face to the Malayali audience. Whether it's to tickle one's funny bone or whip up a laugh riot, Reshmi is adept at them all, mono act and mimicry being added qualifications. But what grabbed the attention of viewers was the ease with which she carried comedy on her small frame. The Kayamkulam-native has also essayed strong characters on KPAC stages.
It was soon after the birth of her son that Reshmi hit the mini screen. It so happened that her baby got a chance to “star” in a serial when he was just two and a half months old. He figured in the series till he turned almost two. “Since they knew that I'd appeared on drama stages, they offered me also a role in the serials”, says the effervescent Reshmi.
Today, the once diminutive star wears a larger than life persona. Her laughter is infectious be it on stage or in life and has garnered for herself an enviable fan following.
Though she loves to travel especially when shoots take her to different locales, it's with the kids that she loves to chill out.
The artiste perks up as she shares her happy moments with Onmanorama.
Ever since she took up serials, she has been on the move, constantly, following the demands of the day. But always with the deep sense of regret that she has to leave her kids behind. They cannot obviously follow her to all locations. But the compensation is the presence of her husband Anil who accompanies her to all sets. Busy schedules notwithstanding, the bubbly couple loves to jive up their days and enjoy all travel experiences.
“Temples are my favourite travel destinations,” says Reshmi. She has been to a whole lot of temples in Kerala where she has had darshan of the respective deities. And this has taken her from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod. But the best part of the travel is when the kids get holidays and can accompany the parents to locations.
“If the shoot is in Thiruvananthapuram, we head straight to Kanyakumari soon after the schedules are wrapped”, says Reshmi. The sunset there is a sight to behold, she adds. Nowhere else can one catch the beauty of the sun dipping into the wide sea, she says. This is one place, the confluence of the three mighty seas, the Arabian Sea, The Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, that will forever stay in her mind. The magnificence of the place is indescribable as Reshmi describes it with awe and reverence. The minute you behold the sprawling waters, all fatigue is gone and the spirit gets rejuvenated, says the actor. The Vivekananda Rock, The Mahatma Memorial and the Thiruvalluvar statue are icons of life, where one gets transported to a world of peace and serenity.
Reshmi says she has been to a lot of places in the capital city and Ernakulam as well where she has gone around all the must-see spots.
If there's a particular place of worship she's been to frequently, it's the Kaattil Mekkethil temple in Ponmana, Chavara. Ponmana is picturesque and exquisitely beautiful and what lends beauty to the place is the presence of the revered Mekkethil temple. The place is where the sea meets the sprawling lake. The land is made more devout by the faith of an endless flow of devotees who believe that their sincere prayers to the deity will never go unanswered. The special offering here is to pray and tie a small tinkling bell at the huge banyan tree after circumventing it seven times.
“I’m here every month to tie up the bell”, says Reshmi who has never defaulted on her offering. And true to her faith, when she gets back, it’s to a whole host of happiness and good news.
Her first flight overseas was to Kenya, an experience which evoked not curiosity, but a lot of excitement too. The trip was in connection with a show got up by the Malayali Samajam there. The long haul, for almost 12 hours left her drained and her excitement gave way to fatigue. There was more in store for her the minute she touched down in Kenya. Had she landed back in Kerala? For Kenya looked just like Kerala in its physical features. Here was a land replete with greenery, trees, plants et al.
Show over, the team went round enjoying the sights. The wildlife safari was one memorable picture made more attractive by the sight of wild animals roaming around in their natural habitat. Lions, tigers and leopards were there for all to see at close quarters. The sight of animal hordes moving from Kenya to Tanzania’s Serengeti National Reserve was mesmerizing. The team stood rooted to its feet watching the animals cross the River Mara.
A visit to the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage was another experience for keeps. Old, ailing and disabled pachyderms are cared for here. A few kilometres away from the bustle of the city, a visit to Sheldrick is a must if Kenya is on one’s travel itinerary. Kenya was one swell place for sight-seeing, avers Reshmi.
Some incidents keep Reshmi marvelling at the twists in life. It so happened that a couple of months ago the couple was looking around for a particular temple in Palakkad. They were part of a programme and decided to have a darshan of the temple before the show. Being in doubt, they decided to ask a bunch of kids who were frolicking around for the location of the temple. As they were running out of time they decided against it. They drove along till they spotted an elderly woman who told them how to find their way and all of a sudden the woman recognized Reshmi and called out for “Valarmathi”, the character Reshmi was portraying in a serial. She insisted on Reshmi going to her home, served them tea and snacks, covering Reshmi with love all the while. She was in total awe of her Valarmathi whom she was seeing in flesh and blood right before her eyes. By then it was too late and Reshmi had to inform the organizers that she would be late for the show. That happened to be one of the most touching gestures Reshmi had the blessing to experience. It suddenly dawned on her that there were folks in Kerala who loved her.
A wish yet to be fulfilled is a trip to Tirupati. So to Tirupati next, with family of course!
