- 37 minutes ago
Speaking at the India Today Conclave, actor Amala Paul discussed navigating stereotypes, taking creative risks, and choosing unconventional cinema throughout her career. Reflecting on her bold role in Aadai, she looked back at her younger self and noted, "Bro, you had guts," sharing that she needed strong creative trust with her director before taking up vulnerable parts. Addressing the representation of female actors in superstar-driven film industries, Paul emphasised, "I believe that it's through her craft," stating that dedicated preparation and strong performances allow actresses to make their presence felt. She also highlighted how Malayalam cinema stands out due to rooted realism and fearless storytelling. Additionally, Paul opened up about taking a conscious break for motherhood, finding emotional balance, and returning to cinema as more women claim substantial space across Indian industries.
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00:00Our next session, like I said, it's called Breaking Stereotypes and Charting a Unique Park.
00:04Please join me in welcoming on stage actor Amla Paul.
00:08With a warm round of applause, please, can we please welcome Amla Paul to the stage?
00:13I'd also like to invite my colleague, deputy editor of India Today magazine, Suhani Singh, to co-moderate the session.
00:20Welcome, Amla.
00:22Thank you, thank you.
00:23To the India Today conclave.
00:25The first time I saw Amla's film, I saw Mina, back in 2010.
00:30From Then, which is a Tamil film, I don't know how many of you have seen it.
00:33It's an absolutely remarkable, brilliant movie.
00:36And so early in your career, when you're just starting out to challenge yourself with that kind of a role,
00:41it immediately meant that she's looking for something different.
00:44Her definition of success itself is different.
00:46And then to her, I think one of her last few films, Level Cross,
00:51I've seen you and your growth as an actor very different from the rest of your colleagues.
00:57Is that because you define success very differently in a film industry?
01:01That's usually all about numbers, about pan-India, about super hit.
01:07Good evening, everyone.
01:11I think they say, you know, that you attract what you are, a little bit in a metaphysical way.
01:18I think I'm always a little bit crazy when it comes to choosing scripts.
01:24Like, my thought process is different, you know.
01:26I never like to repeat something that I've done in the past.
01:31So I'm always thirsty for different kind of roles, like how much I can push myself in this one.
01:37That's what I always look at.
01:39So it's a little bit difficult to satiate me when it comes to characters and scripts.
01:45And I think that's why it sort of comes to me and I feel very grateful.
01:52I mean, Amla, I'm from Mumbai.
01:55So my first exposure to your work was something I was doing as part of the film Critics Guild.
02:00I watched this film called Aadai.
02:03And if you haven't seen Amla in it, it is such a daring role to take on.
02:09And tell me...
02:10Agalti.
02:11You want to tell me what scenario you are in in that film?
02:14First, let's just tell the audience who haven't seen.
02:16You want to tell?
02:17So basically, Amla's character is someone who is finding herself without any clothes on.
02:23And she has to find ingenuous situations to make sure she isn't caught, right?
02:28And it's practically one and a half hours of thriller, like making sure what you do.
02:34So I wanted to know, Amla, what was it like?
02:37Did you at any point have any apprehension doing a role like that?
02:41Like how will you be depicted?
02:43What will people think?
02:44The gaze?
02:45Tell me a little bit about that.
02:47Because that is a defining role of your career, isn't it?
02:50Sounds amazing.
02:52Please add it to your watch list.
02:53Yeah, so it's about a girl who is stranded in a building without clothes and she wakes
03:01up and she has no clue what happened to her and what she has to do to survive that situation.
03:08And the interesting part is this is also a girl who talks about freedom and, you know,
03:16like who says that, you know, maybe clothes are not a big deal and like for her birthday
03:23she says I should be, you know, like for birthdays, you know, we are born without clothes.
03:29And someone who talks big and then when she lands up in a situation like that, you know,
03:33she has to face the dark truth, right?
03:37Yes, of course, I had a lot of apprehension because it is a very vulnerable spot I am putting
03:46myself into.
03:47So I needed to trust the director and the cinematographer.
03:53My whole thinking was, you know, are these people up for making an aesthetic film where we, where
04:03it is emotionally driven or is it about nudity?
04:07You know, that was the first part.
04:09So I took them, I took some time and I traveled with the team, the co-team, which is the
04:14director,
04:15the cinematographer and the co-team.
04:17And it took me almost two months to say yes to that film.
04:21You know, I did not, obviously, immediately, you know, like did not say.
04:25And once I had the trust, we had enough workshop.
04:29And once I was convinced that this is going to be creatively shot, you know, so obviously,
04:36you know, not like what people think I was not naked, you know, during the film shoot,
04:42but we had to sort of manage it, you know.
04:44So it was a very beautiful, creative process for all of us.
04:48And they made me very comfortable by keeping only few people, like four or five people on
04:54set.
04:55And it was a sing sound.
04:57So sing sound is not very popular in South and I'm someone who loves it.
05:02Like that is very, very challenging, but at the same time, very rewarding experience for
05:07your performance.
05:09So I think I was pretty kicked about this whole creative experience, which is so realistic
05:15and that's how it happened.
05:17No, but you know, you're saying it's a creative process.
05:20You spoke of the mindset of the director and trusting them.
05:22I'm sure you also wonder what would be the mindset of the audience?
05:27You know, would they accept this film?
05:28You don't see this kind of experimental cinema enough in, you know, among Indian audiences,
05:36very often not being accepted.
05:38What made you sure that something like this with a bold topic at its core would be accepted?
05:43Did you think of that as well?
05:44And do you think of will the audiences accept this?
05:47What's their mindset going to be?
05:48Will they take this in the light that I'm viewing it from?
05:51Yeah, to be honest, I had all these thoughts.
05:54I was also scared about my image and what sort of films I would, you know, end up landing
06:01because I did not want to be stereotyped and do more such films.
06:04It's just one in a lifetime kind of a film, right?
06:07Or I don't know, maybe in the future.
06:08Like this Samala, when I look back at that Samala, I'm like, bro, you had guts.
06:15You don't have that now?
06:16I mean, if you ask me to do an ade right now, I don't think I'll be able to do
06:21an ade right now.
06:21Because usually with experience, you know, the experience doubles the confidence.
06:25It's not only about confidence.
06:28I think it's also becoming a little more wiser, you know.
06:33Experience teaches you a lot now.
06:35But nevertheless, I wouldn't say that, you know, I am grateful about that experience
06:42because see, cinema is timeless, right?
06:44The kind of films that we've seen before, maybe those, like the really adventurous,
06:50really experimental films, you know, like we think, right?
06:53Oh my God, back in the days, how did she do that?
06:56Or how did he do that?
06:57So, yeah, I think that's the kind of response I'm getting for ade right now.
07:01So it's all, you know, worth it, I feel.
07:05Till now, people talk about it.
07:07In fact, when you met me, that's the first film you spoke to me.
07:09And even when I, like, mainly when I go to Bombay and, you know, like I, there are still
07:14people who come and talk to me about that film.
07:17So.
07:19You know, talking about experimental, Amla, we are in Kochi.
07:23And I think everyone after the OTT boom has rediscovered Malayalam cinema and is going
07:30gaga about it, right?
07:31Like, we were just talking about, I was talking to someone, you know, about the great work
07:36that, you know, Mahmoodi Sir is doing.
07:38He just won a national award for Ramayogam.
07:41Tell me, what is it about Malayalam cinema that, you know, is enabling such great stories?
07:48You have done your share of films here.
07:50You've worked with Prithviraj and Adi Jeevatam.
07:52You've worked with great Mohanlal Sir as well.
07:54What is it about this industry, this land here that suddenly everyone seems to be besorted
07:59with the work that's coming out of it?
08:01If I have to answer in one word, I would say it's the guts.
08:06Malayalis really have the, you know, the guts.
08:09And I think our industry has always been like that.
08:12If you go back and watch the films that, you know, like from the 70s, 80s, you know, it
08:18is about the characters that we can never really imagine.
08:26Okay, if we show this character, if we make this character as a hero, you know, normal industry
08:34wouldn't take such a, that kind of a step, I feel, you know.
08:38I think everybody naturally tend to have the male protagonist as someone who's over the
08:45top, somebody who's special, you know.
08:46But in Malayalam industry, you can see the most normal, you know, they're making characters.
08:52Very rooted.
08:52Yeah, very rooted and very, very normal kind of people which we see in our real life.
08:58And I think that is what is so interesting when you see that in such subtle, realistic
09:03performances, you know, when it comes in a movie.
09:07So, I think it's gotten like very experimental and like I, you know, like I always have this
09:14meters, you know.
09:15Like in Tamil, there is an acting meter.
09:17In Telugu, there's a different meter.
09:19When it comes to Malayalam, there is zero meter.
09:21You just have to be that character.
09:25You know, there is no other way.
09:26So, wait.
09:27When you're working across languages, you change your meter, yeah?
09:30Yeah.
09:30Yeah.
09:31Yes.
09:31Of course, depending on the director and the culture.
09:34Yeah.
09:34But like there is the zero meter, I feel is, you know, it's, it's.
09:39So, let's say when you're coming from Chennai to here and you're, I'm told that you're
09:43working on a, on a Malayalam film right now.
09:46Yes.
09:46Who, who, who's in it with you?
09:48It is directed by director Patma Kumar.
09:52And I mean, it's a heroine driven story.
09:56When people are.
09:58Me and of course, there are a lot of other, you know, really good actors.
10:02That's good.
10:02She's the hero.
10:04That's when first question everybody asks, who's the hero?
10:07And I'm like, the, the story is the hero.
10:12I'm just, we're all acting in that.
10:14Um, yeah, so your question.
10:16No, so I think the comparison that Suhani also drew, I'd love to go deeper into that of,
10:21you know, you've acted in so many industries, Telugu, uh, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam.
10:26How do you kind of categorize each?
10:29What do you think stands out about each of these industries?
10:33Um, I can, uh, to talk about it in terms of performance.
10:40Um, like I said, uh, in Malayalam, uh, let's say a movie like Maina.
10:46Maina is something that is very, um, different for Tamil industry back in that time.
10:52Right now, even Tamil industry is extremely experimental and realistic.
10:56You know, it's coming out with great films like that.
10:58Uh, back in the time, it was very different.
11:01Uh, so, um, I think it, it, you know, it is, it's about, it's the performances, it's in the culture.
11:09In the Tamil, if you see, uh, a film like, uh, well, Ella Pattadari, uh, you know, which I did.
11:16It's again in a very realistic space, but, uh, my character Shalini, uh, when she talks, uh, she'll be more
11:23expressive and there will be a particular tune in which we'll talk.
11:27Because the way you speak that language is different from the way you speak the other language, right?
11:32So, I think it's, uh, the differences in the language, in the culture, you know, how people speak there, you'll
11:39have to adapt into that.
11:41Yeah, I think those are the main differences.
11:44It's also in the kind of films they do, I'm sure.
11:47Yeah.
11:48Uh, you know, what you spoke of, of rooted Malayalam cinema, you see that a bit more in Tamil.
11:53Telugu is more blockbuster.
11:55Yeah, Telugu, it, it, it depends.
11:57The films that I have done, uh, there is this one film where I did that was, so I did
12:02a lot of Tamil films in Malayalam films.
12:04And then when I, I went to the Telugu industry, uh, so, um, it was a scene of my, I
12:11think my, my brother's funeral or something.
12:13I don't remember much.
12:14So, I naturally tended to remove the makeup because that is the background I came from, right?
12:18So, I removed all my makeup and I was looking really dull.
12:21And the director saw me and he's like, why are you looking so dull?
12:25This is, I'm talking about long back.
12:27Uh, so, yeah, there are those, you know, these kind of, uh, differences.
12:32But if it was Malayalam industry, you know, like, you'd not have makeup throughout.
12:37No.
12:39For us, if we get to have makeup here, then it is like, okay, what kind of film is this?
12:45It's, uh, I think, Amla, you know, when you talk about cinema in the South, it's also seen as the
12:50land industries where there are superstars, right?
12:54And they generally tend to be male.
12:56You know, when it comes to Tamil, you look at, you know, Rajni sir, Kamal sir, you have a celebrity
13:01who is not a CM, Vijay, right?
13:04Oh, you come here, it's Mohanlal sir, Mahmuti sir in Telugu, it's, you know, Aluwarjan, I can go on and
13:09on.
13:10So I wanted to know, you have worked with a lot of these actors, right?
13:13How does an actress in such a superstar driven industry, which is so male oriented, how does an actress hold
13:21her own, make her presence felt, make sure that she gets roles that, you know, optimize her talent and her
13:29presence here?
13:31I believe that it's through her craft, um, because I think end of the day, uh, you know, your craft
13:39speaks volume than, uh, anything else.
13:43So, of course, you know, I also get into that awe, you know, all that gaga.
13:50Who did it happen with?
13:51Tell me who did it.
13:52Yeah, fangirl moment comes obviously because these are the people like I grew up watching and the reason why I
13:57wanted to be an actor, you know, there's so much inspiration.
13:59Have you been tongue tied while you've been working with, I don't know, have you been tongue tied ever in
14:04front of?
14:04A lot of times, I mean, you know, like, especially with Mamuka and all, like, I would still take so
14:10much time to go and speak to him and, you know, that is there.
14:14Uh, one thing I like doing is I really like, uh, watching their craft, like, you know, like, uh, for
14:21me, it becomes like a masterclass immediately in my brain, you know, how much I can observe, absorb from their,
14:27uh, work.
14:28And I like to have a lot of conversation, you know, it's like, I keep interviewing one time, you know,
14:34I was annoying Mamuka also when I was shooting Christopher, just asking him questions.
14:38And I was like, Mamuka, I have two questions to ask.
14:41He's like, ask the second question first.
14:43Okay.
14:45Uh, yeah, but I believe it's through your craft.
14:48Definitely.
14:48It's how much, um, prepared you are with the character and how well you perform.
14:54Um, I think that's all you need to, an actor need to focus on.
14:59But, but are, are now actresses getting more singular titles, like titles that they can lead?
15:04Do you see that happening in cinema?
15:06Yes, yes, absolutely.
15:07Yeah.
15:07Across the languages.
15:08Absolutely.
15:09There are a lot of heroine-centric films that are coming out and a lot of them are doing really
15:13well.
15:14Uh, so there is a lot of, uh, uh, change is happening.
15:19Yeah.
15:19That's great.
15:20It's also, it's also challenging, I'm sure.
15:22Uh, yeah, that would be, uh, there are some industries where I think women are given a lot more space,
15:29like I'd say the Malayalam film industry.
15:31And then there are others who are still left wanting.
15:33I'll give you an example.
15:34I was watching a, a Telugu film recently and the portrayal of the woman, I felt disappointed.
15:39I felt disrespected.
15:41I felt let down.
15:42Is that an industry issue or is it a movie issue?
15:46What is it?
15:46That, you know, women are still portrayed sometimes a certain way.
15:51I don't want to blame it on the industry entirely.
15:55Uh, you know, because, uh, from each industries, we can really see, you know, like good female-led films coming
16:02out.
16:03So I think that could be the movie issue or the director's, you know, vision.
16:10And do you think the honest is also on women actors to kind of steer it in the right direction?
16:16Do you think women actors also should be steering this in the right direction?
16:20We are, we are doing our best.
16:24I, I, I certainly see there is, uh, it's been more than 15 years I've been in the industry.
16:30So, um, right now there is, uh, a great momentum and a lot of women are taking up, you know,
16:39that space that they need to own and deserve in the industry.
16:43This is the beginning of that beautiful change that we are all waiting.
16:47So, I, I wanted to ask you about your recent work since you are talking about picking roles.
16:53Uh, Amla, you are a new mother, relatively new mother.
16:58And, uh, and I just wonder, you know, it changes, right?
17:02It changes many things.
17:04Yeah.
17:04Um, and I was hearing Ryan Gosling talk and Jennifer Lawrence talk and they were talking about how now the
17:11roles that they do, they are very much thinking of their kids.
17:15You know, uh, you know, on the kind of projects that they want to do and not just in terms
17:20of, uh, what the stories are saying, but also the time that they require.
17:24Has that happened for you, Amla, now that you have a young little boy, uh, who is, who's in your
17:29world?
17:29I think I have a little more time to get there, but, uh, uh, definitely I took my, uh, maternity
17:37break.
17:37I took a conscious break.
17:38I wanted to feel ready and it is, it is very different, you know, uh, the whole hormones changes, right?
17:45Like, you're not like that, uh, uh, on fire, come bring it on, you know, get it all.
17:52You're not in that energy anymore.
17:54You're like more calmer and more wiser and okay, what is worth my time and energy, you know, want to
18:00do something more, uh, uh, different and better.
18:04Um, yeah, that thought process is there.
18:07So, I don't know, I think this change, I also observed like with this last, one of my last films,
18:12uh, the, the, the script, uh, demanded, uh, the, my character to smoke.
18:19So, um, not the script demanded, uh, so that's what, when I was getting into a creative, uh, you know,
18:25discussion with the team, I felt that the character did not have to smoke.
18:29I mean, if there is, uh, uh, you know, if, if the script demands and if it is needed, if
18:35it is necessary, of course, you know, but I felt like, uh, it was not needed, you know, so I
18:41was just thinking, uh, maybe the me before, you know, all this wouldn't have had so much thought about it.
18:50So, there is a change and I feel it is, uh, for the better, a little more wiser way of
18:57thinking.
18:57Does he, does he know that mama is like, uh, a star and, and mama is going right now for
19:03shooting? Does that happen?
19:04Uh, I don't think he knows what a star is yet, but of course he sees me in posters, holdings
19:10and on TV.
19:11Uh, so before any girl he see on the poster, he would be like, mommy.
19:17But I think now he can see mommy is mommy and, you know, the other girl is the other girl.
19:22He knows, uh, the, yeah, that, you know, when I go for work, he says, mama is shooting.
19:26Uh, he likes that, uh, shooting.
19:28So whenever anybody asks, where are you going?
19:30He say, I'm going for shooting, you know?
19:31So I think he's getting to know the whole damn jam.
19:34Was it hard though?
19:36Pressing pause.
19:37A lot of women struggled to do it.
19:39Uh, I would say, uh, it was not, I mean, not very hard.
19:45It was very hard because I started really young, you know, I kind of call me a child labor.
19:53It's a sixteenth, sixteenth, yeah, yeah.
19:55When I started and I started with modeling first and then I came into the films and it was a
20:01long journey and lot of work.
20:04So I was, I think it's about the mindset, like what mindset you are at that time.
20:08I was ready to take a break and I wanted to, I wanted to have a child, you know, like
20:13I was like, where is the man?
20:14I'm ready.
20:16I'm glad it all fit in.
20:18Yeah, exactly.
20:20So I, I was, I was prepared to enjoy that.
20:24And, um, there were moments I would get a little bit of, you know, that insecurity and that, uh, is
20:31it everything going to be okay?
20:32Am I going to get back into the industry again?
20:34And, and, you know, of course, I don't want to lie about it, that thoughts comes and goes, uh, but,
20:41uh, I think I was able to, uh, navigate it pretty well.
20:46So the transition has been smooth after the break, coming back into films, entering back into your old life, maybe
20:53that's been easy.
20:54It's been smooth.
20:55And I think the industry has been very accepting, which is wonderful to see.
20:58Yes.
20:59Yes.
20:59I think that is the time when almost Alia got pregnant, Deepika got pregnant and, uh, Chiara got pregnant and,
21:07uh, Katrina.
21:07Yeah.
21:09Yeah.
21:09Uh, and down South, uh, nine Thera had babies.
21:12And I think it was the whole, you know, everybody was like.
21:15Baby boom.
21:15Baby move time.
21:17So I'm like, okay, I do not have any FOMO or, you know, okay, there is company and they're all
21:22doing so well.
21:23And it is so amazing.
21:24You know, that before there was those taboos, right?
21:28You know, once the, you know, married only are like gone, you know, today's women, they're breaking all that.
21:34And that is so beautiful.
21:35It is a right time to have a child.
21:39Talking about the man, you said, but I just need a man.
21:42You have chosen a very fascinating man.
21:45He's not from the industry.
21:47Uh, can you, you, you want to tell me how, how is he in tune with this world?
21:51This world of glamour, glitz and, and makeup and choices that you have to do?
21:56Uh, or is he far away from it?
21:59Does he get it?
22:00Oh, he, I think he's more than, uh, you know, like more than me, he's into this industry.
22:05I feel he's such a movie buff.
22:06He's, he, he watch, like, he doesn't sleep without watching a film, at least that's his routine, you know?
22:12And I'm like, okay, I don't do all this.
22:16Yeah.
22:16He loves it.
22:17He is a typical Leo, like love the, you know, the limelight.
22:22And, uh, and, uh, thanks to him also, because he really supported and helped me during the transition and the
22:30postpartum period.
22:31You know, there were times when I was really, I did not have any energy.
22:34And I used to get really, um, sick and tired, but the kind of push that he would give me,
22:41uh, that really helped me to, uh, get back on my feet and back to the work and the support
22:47that he gives, uh, um, you know, even taking care of my baby, making sure that he feels emotionally, uh,
22:55safe and secure, even when I'm not around, you know, that it is a responsibility, right?
22:59That he has to take.
23:00So that way, yes, yeah, I think universe gave me, I, I did not choose him.
23:06He just like walked into my life in Goa on a vacation.
23:10Was it a very filmy story?
23:12Yeah.
23:12It is extremely filmy story.
23:14Please tell us.
23:16So, yeah, I was, uh, you know, in Goa, uh, celebrating my best friend's birthday.
23:20And then we decided to stay back and, uh, we booked this villa on Airbnb.
23:25So Airbnb is our matchmaker.
23:26Airbnb should like make this story.
23:29And then, yeah, like we ended up, uh, I ended up meeting him because he was, uh, you know, he,
23:36that ended up being his villa and he was hosting us.
23:39And, you know, just like five star rating yet to say, there is a, I just started the journey.
23:48He just began, so, yeah, so far so good.
23:51But he also came in a very interesting period of your life.
23:53I think we all know about the personal setback that you had.
23:57Was it hard, uh, Amila to sort of bounce back from that, you know, give love a chance again and,
24:03and come back on track?
24:05Like, uh, because we know heartbreaks can, can be really, yeah.
24:12Uh, yes, uh, I, uh, I think that, uh, even before meeting Jagat, uh, I was on a, uh, uh,
24:20what, what would I say?
24:21Like, uh, healing, you know, seeking journey.
24:25I was a little away from the industry.
24:27I was not doing many films.
24:29I would call it a conscious break.
24:32So I was traveling a lot and I was trying to find myself and, you know, like, where is my
24:37heart?
24:38Where does it belong?
24:40And, you know, the whole idea of self-love and healing and, uh, uh, enjoying my own company.
24:47So I think, yeah, we kind of met at the right time and we had, uh, similar, um, ideas and
24:55values about relationship.
24:57Uh, you know, um, things like when he said, uh, you know, we have to keep working on ourselves individually.
25:03That's when we can, you know, hold on to this family and relationship.
25:07And, uh, I also got like, uh, the baby came very soon into our relationship.
25:13So he was quite ready for it.
25:16And, um, he showed the courage to sort of move ahead with it and all.
25:21It felt like very aligned and, um, more than anything, we are good friends.
25:28That's where I am.
25:30I tell this, I can openly tell my, you know, vulnerabilities.
25:34And I tell him that, you know, I like the term friends rather than calling it the husband, wife or
25:41marriage or anything like a conscious union of two individuals.
25:44And let's do our best.
25:45And I think he is also willing to do that.
25:50And he also shares similar, uh, um, uh, belief system.
25:54So it's kind of going well.
25:57How important their formula, you know, you've told us have been very candid about all that you've gone through.
26:03How important is it for a woman to have that kind of support system in her journey?
26:09I feel, uh, for a woman, it's very important to find her core support system in herself.
26:18You know, that's what my journey taught me, uh, because, you know, as women, we are so conditioned from a
26:25very young age to, uh, sort of be nice, you know, like, uh, people please.
26:32And like, you know, always have to be, uh, look good, be good, smile good, always be pleasant.
26:37And, and that, you know, that find the best partner, you know, I feel no one has ever taught us
26:44how to just love ourselves or, um, be a friend to ourselves, be a support to ourselves, uh, you know,
26:53and in a way, like when I look back, I've always been, uh, you know, trying to find love and
26:57happiness in another person.
26:59And that's what, where we are going wrong.
27:01Uh, so I always tell my, you know, friends and when I see women or men for, uh, you know,
27:06for that matter to like go on, like go on a journey with yourself.
27:11Yeah.
27:13That's what I believe.
27:14Amazing.
27:14Yeah.
27:14Believe in yourself.
27:15I think that's.
27:16Yeah.
27:16And find yourself and, you know, like find that connection with yourself because the biggest support system is right inside
27:22you.
27:23Okay.
27:24Amazing.
27:25Let's, let's lighten the mood a bit.
27:26A lot of therapy though.
27:27Yeah.
27:28Let's lighten the mood.
27:29So we've asked you what each of the film industries you've worked in.
27:33Tell us candidly, which is your favorite film industry to work in?
27:38Now, not because we're sitting in Kochi that you decide the answer.
27:42It's like asking, uh, you know, like, which is your favorite child?
27:45You love your papa or mama more, you know, these questions, this question I can never find an answer because
27:50it's all very, uh, very different experiences.
27:54And I'm somebody who loves, uh, you know, new stuff, different stuff.
27:59So I can never, I don't have a favorite when it comes to my, uh, craft.
28:04You're being diplomatic.
28:06You're being diplomatic.
28:38Okay, then let me put it this way.
28:40So I can't see.
28:43So it's amazing.
28:44I've made a lot of, you know, learning experience from him and all the actors that you work with, let's
28:48say, uh, Fahad.
28:50Again, you know, very early, we did a film together in Tamil, Dhanush, you know, also
29:00Vijay sir.
29:02There are different things that you get to, like, nobody is the same, right?
29:05So it's different to really, yeah, of course, you know, the comfort level is different,
29:09but that doesn't mean that I'm not going to choose to work with this actor because I was
29:14not comfortable, you know, like, obviously, like, comfort, like, really...
29:18It's an equation.
29:18Yeah.
29:19But I'd love to know, what was it like working with Vijay?
29:21He's a chief minister now.
29:22Did you ever think that would happen?
29:26I wished that happened.
29:30Working with Vijay...
29:31You backed the TVK?
29:34Okay, let's not get into that now.
29:39Politicians are gone.
29:40I agree.
29:41I agree.
29:42Fully agree.
29:42You don't have to tell me that.
29:44Yeah, working with Vijay sir, extremely different, very quiet person.
29:54So I was doing the same thing that I would do with everyone, you know, trying to getting
29:58everything into question and answer mode.
29:59You're asking.
30:00Yeah, but everything, he'll give one word answer and I'm like, okay, Amla, stop annoying.
30:04Very sweet, very humble and very, I think, very centered person.
30:14Since we're talking about, you're not going to tell us, is there a filmmaker here in Malayalam
30:19film industry that you want to work with?
30:21That you'd be like, okay, this person's call will come and I'll be like...
30:29I've been wanting to work with Anjali Menon.
30:34There are a lot of... Anwar Rashid...
30:40Yeah, I think I should open my phone, the vision list.
30:43A bucket list?
30:44Of course.
30:47Female directors bring a very interesting perspective, isn't it?
30:50Have you worked with female directors?
30:52Yes.
30:53Yeah.
30:54Ashwini Tiwari.
30:56Yeah.
30:56Nil Bhatte Sanata.
30:57Amma Kanaka.
30:59Yeah, I think she's the only female director I worked with.
31:02Yeah, of course we need more female directors and I would love to work with more female directors.
31:08You know, as we wrap up this session, Amla, I have to ask you.
31:10In the last many years, you've kind of carved this image for yourself in the industry, in films.
31:17What do you want your legacy to be?
31:20You know, what do you want to be known as?
31:26Yeah, I want my name to come in the best actors ever in all the industries.
31:36Be a legend.
31:37Yes, why not?
31:39It's okay to say it.
31:39I think it's...
31:40Yeah, yes, yes.
31:40Dream big and I think...
31:41Dream big and talk big.
31:44But yeah, thank you so much, Amla, for joining us.
31:47A big round of applause, please, for Amla Paul as she joins us here at the India Today Conclave.
31:53Can I also invite on stage Mr. Mahesh Guptan, Head of Communications, Adani Group, Kerala, to hand over a token
32:00of our appreciation.
32:01So, thank you for the presentation.
32:02Thank you very much for having me.