Director Rahul Ashok, who made his debut with the recently released Vengeance, headlined by Abarnathi, isn't comfortable narrating his script to his actors. But was it comfortable for his actors to read the script rather than listen to narration? “It took me around ten days to finish reading the entire script,” says Abarnathi, with a chuckle. This might not seem extraordinary, but those who follow the inner workings of Tamil cinema know how rare it is for actors to accept a request to read a script rather than asking the director to sit and deliver their pitch in person. “Aspiring directors come to you with so many hopes and dreams, and I respect their time and effort. If they want to narrate, I'd give them my full focus for the three hours it might take. Many people’s lives, including mine, depend on these decisions. I can't take it lightly,” asserts the actor. 

Abarnathi also admits that reading the script rather than listening to a narration is the most pragmatic choice. “When a director is narrating a story, they might exaggerate your part and gloss over other things. When I read the script, I also understand the other characters' depth and nuances. This helps me make an informed decision and also gives me a lot of confidence, even when the director is a newcomer,” says Abarnathi, who also reveals how reading the script beforehand helped her prepare for the character. “I play Veni, a district collector, and it was a dialogue-heavy role. There are many layers to Veni, and interestingly, the story didn’t rely on any romantic elements to make her likeable. I love the interval sequence where my character's machinations are revealed. It is the greyness of Veni that made me say yes to Vengeance," says Abarnathi. 

The actor also asserts that Vengeance is different from the films that, in an attempt to show the woman protagonist as strong and independent, make her come across as stiff and brash. Staying away from being typecast even in roles that could be riddled with stereotypes is an appreciable facet of Abarnathi's fledgling career. We saw this happen in Irugapatru (2023) as well. “The film ran for more than 80 days in theatres, and the phenomenal reception only doubled after it came out on OTT. I was pleasantly surprised by the positive reactions to my character, who struggles with fat-shaming from her spouse. In almost every public place I went to, whether a mall or a temple, homemakers approached me and said they resonated with my character. Irugapatru made me a household name,” says Abarnathi. But did she go in expecting that response? “I don’t take up a project with expectations of a specific type of reception. What I focus on, however, is how a character elevates the story and demands new and exciting things from me as an actor. For example, if I get to play a character who is blind or speech-impaired, I have to rely heavily on body language to emote. Anything that helps me push boundaries excites me,” says the actor, who also confesses that she wants to take up a light-hearted character next. “I want to do an out-and-out comedy film and make people laugh.”

Up next, Abarnathi will be seen in the Bharath-starrer Kalidas 2 and the Netflix series, Legacy, alongside Madhavan, Nimisha Sajayan, Gulshan Devaiah, and more. “Abhishek Banerjee plays the antagonist, and I play his wife in the series. It’s an exciting character,” she says. On whether she is planning to take up more lead roles after Vengeance, Abarnathi replies, “Whether I take up a project or not has always depended on just one thing: the writing. As long as a project, whether it is a series or a film, is well written, I am game because if experience has taught me anything, it is that story is king.”