Enai Noki Paayum Thota will be well worth the wait, says Megha Akash

It has been a little more than two years since the teaser of the popular song, Maruvaarthai (from Enai Noki Paayum Thota), was released. While the mystery of Mr. X, the composer of the song, has since been solved, and the film’s actor, Dhanush, has since had multiple releases, it’s not until two weeks ago that we saw the heroine, Megha Akash, finally make her debut when she played a small role in Karthik Subbaraj's Petta. A couple of weeks later, now, she has made her full-fledged debut in Sundar C's Vantha Rajavathaan Varuven. Here’s the actor talking about her two releases, her future projects, and of course, the long-delayed Enai Nokum Paayum Thota (ENPT):

Excerpts:

How has the response been for Vantha Rajavathaan Varuven (VRV)?
I have been getting a lot of love, and in particular, I have been receiving compliments for my dubbing. We don’t usually get such opportunities. I have been hearing new scripts now.

While on the film, I must say that shooting with Simbu was super-easy. He is stress-free and almost child-like. He is a genuine person and shooting with such people is always easy. Add to all this the energy he brings on to the set; you can feed off it easily.

Had you caught the original film, Attarintiki Daredi, before you took up the role?
Yes, I had. I am a huge Pawan Kalyan fan and I was happy when I realised that I was going to be doing the remake. But once I signed up the film, I didn’t watch it even once. I wanted to bring my own sensibilities to the role.

Before VRV, of course, you had your debut in a Rajinikanth film (Petta).
I have grown up watching Rajini sir. I don’t think I even dreamt I would get to be part of his film. It is probably a cliche to say this by now but it was truly humbling to shoot with him. Both he and Simran ma’am, even though they have caravans of their own, always hung out with us. I guess it was written in the stars that Petta would be my first release.

Your first film, Oru Pakka Kathai, is yet to have a release, and yet, so many directors have already cast you.

Balaji sir (director of Oru Pakka Kathai) found me through a mutual friend. Before I knew it, I was signed up. Gautham sir found me in a coffee shop he used to frequent. But ENPT took longer to happen. I had a first round of auditions and then had a look test. I had to wait sometime before I knew I was doing the lead role in ENPT. After that, I was in Telugu cinema (Lie and Chal Mohana Ranga) for sometime, and then when I returned, Kannan sir found me via the video of Visiri. He had asked for me specifically. As I had no Tamil projects at the time, he insisted that I do Boomerang, and I did. Sundar C sir liked me in a video song from one of my Telugu films. Karthik sir watched Oru Pakka Kathai fully, and got me on board to play the role of Anu in Petta.

What are your biggest takeaways from Petta and VRV?
With VRV, Sundar sir taught me I can do comedy. I never saw myself doing it, and he gave me the confidence to. With Petta, Karthik sir gave me a free hand at expressing myself through my character and that was liberating.

You mentioned that you’re listening to a bunch of scripts. What excites you about this process?
I just look to connect with my character and the film, and don’t want it to compromise my ethics and morals. You saw me do comedy as a heroine in VRV. Oru Pakka Kathai is more on the artistic side. Boomerang and Petta had me play a college student. So I don’t think I can be boxed so easily as an actor.

And now, for the inevitable question about what’s going on with ENPT…

I have finished dubbing for my portions. Without revealing much, let me say that I have three distinct phases in the film. There’s one in which I dress up and be nice and casual. There is another in which I become the emotional anchor. There is a third phase where I strive for what is mine. If people haven’t been satisfied with my acting till now, I would ask them to wait for ENPT. It will be well worth the wait. It has my dream role, and will become the bar for my future films.