THE COMEBACK WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR AMALA PAUL

AFTER A HEARTFELT PAUSE FOR MOTHERHOOD, AMALA PAUL RETURNS TO THE SILVER SCREEN WITH RENEWED FIRE, READY TO SCRIPT HER NEXT CHAPTER

- BY NAMITA GUPTA

Amala Paul's cinematic journey began in Cochin, Kerala, and took flight in Chennai at just 17. A chance discovery by a Tamil director launched her into the spotlight, where she quickly carved a space alongside industry stalwarts like Mohanlal, Ram Charan, Thalapathy Vijay and others. Following a maternity hiatus, she returns with a renewed passion and a lineup of exciting new projects. Here's Amala up, close and personal...

Where did you spend your growing up years and how did cinema happen?

I grew up in Cochin, Kerala, until I was 17, then I moved to Chennai to pursue a career in cinema. My entry into the industry happened when a Tamil director discovered my modelling pictures online and approached me, leading to my debut in Tamil films.

You've portrayed a wide range of strong and complex characters...what draws you to a role?

I choose characters and draw performances from my inner world. I believe it's my middle-class upbringing that exposed me to a wide range of life experiences, which are complex and have made me quite resilient from a young age. I was a street-smart kid and a go-getter, which gave me extensive exposure to human emotions, and I suppose I draw performances from that.

What were the initial challenges you faced in your career and how did you overcome them?

I am the first person in my family to enter the entertainment industry. There was no mentor or Godfather to guide me. I couldn't rely much on my parents or friends either, so I had to depend on myself through every emotional downturn and setback. The industry is also not very kind when it comes to considering your age. I was working with very mature people, mostly men around me, so I guess I had to grow up really fast. The lack of boundaries was emotionally draining. Moving from a safe home environment to a volatile and unpredictable work environment took me several years to adapt to peacefully.