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It’s 11 in the morning. The sun is searing. When you reach the bungalow tucked inside a nondescript lane in Nesappakam, the crew is scurrying to get a shot ready. Shooting for the serial ‘Manjal Mahimai’ (Kalaignar TV) is on. After a few minutes of waiting, you see the door of the caravan parked in the compound, open. The protagonist of the serial, Devayani in a deep red sari, long tresses cascading down her back, steps out with her make-up man and hairdresser in tow.
You can’t miss that lustrous complexion and endearing coy smile. Post-partum (she delivered her second daughter Priyanka seven months ago); she is almost back to her slender self. Losing no time, Devayani starts posing in the manner of a pro and the photographer happily goes on a clicking-spree.
“I think you have taken pictures for the next ten years,” jokes the reigning queen of Tamil television as she invites you into her caravan for the interview. She leans back on the cushioned seat and talks about her run in the film industry, marriage, motherhood and serial success.
Professionally, the transition is complete — from a teeny-weeny girl in fluttering skirts, to a sari-clad, demure heroine, to a woman with grit and gumption.