Ivana Interview: I am fortunate to play my age on screen

Ivana counts herself among the fortunate few actors who get to play their age. She was 17 when she played a teen in Naachiyaar. She is now in her early 20s, which is also the age of her characters in her breakout film, Love Today, and the upcoming film, Let's Get Married (LGM). "I think it is a very rare opportunity to play characters close to my off-screen age. It makes me feel happier and more responsible to give my best to each of the roles. And my character, Meera, in LGM is special, as somewhere, I see Meera in me," she says.

Excerpts...

Love Today was a breakthrough for you. Your next outing will certainly have expectations. How important is a project like LGM for you?

LGM is produced by Dhoni's banner. The fact that I am associating with their project is itself a big boost, and the film has all the potential to cross boundaries. So, for an actor like me, who is currently doing only Tamil films, LGM and its reach beyond Tamil Nadu, is a big step ahead.

Tell us about your character in LGM

Meera is a character close to my heart. She is an ambivert, and for someone to get close, they need to spend time with her. That's why she plans for a trip to get to know her prospective mother-in-law. Being an ambivert myself, I could relate to Meera.

Be it Love Today or even from what we've seen in LGM, it is fascinating to see your roles turn out to be relatable to the younger generation

I find myself more at ease playing such roles because of the age factor. I have a better understanding of how they think, what they wear, and how they speak. Probably why, the audience too find my roles relatable.

So do you do homework before you get into the shoes of the character?

Not really. I become conscious when I do homework, and I think my acting tends to become repetitive. What I like about LGM is that director Ramesh gave me that space to perform organically. He used to narrate the scene and ask me how I would react to it, and he would want to keep the performance natural. Of course, we will have minute improvisations, but we ensured not to become melodramatic. Even if I go a tad overboard, the director will ask me to rein it in. I like to keep it realistic.

While some budding actors have a strategic plan for their careers, others go with the flow... How do you approach your career?

When I first got an opportunity to act in films, I did not know I would come this far. When I did Naachiyaar, I was 17 and was doing B Com. Now, I am pursuing my Masters. So I don't have any set plans. I have not fixed anything at this moment. I can balance both my education and films. So I am going with the flow, for now.

If there is one kind of a role you want to play that will unleash your hidden skills, what would that be

I think I want to do action films. I learnt Karate for four days. (she laughs). Jokes apart, I like adventures, and I feel such films will bring out the unexplored side of me.