Khushboo Sunder, Suhasini discuss craft, commerce and character at IFFI session

Suhasini Maniratnam and Khushboo Sundar held an ‘In Conversational Workshop’ session at IFFI at the Kala Academy, here on Friday.

Titled ‘The Luminary Icons: Creative Bonds and Fierce Performances,’ the session brought together a thoughtful, dynamic dialogue on the enduring art of performance.

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Sharing her experiences, Khushboo said she makes no such distinction between art-house and mainstream cinema.

She added that whether working with renowned parallel-cinema directors like KG George or commercial filmmakers like P Vasu, she goes into every project as “soft clay,” ready to absorb the director’s vision.

She recalled how director Bharathi Raja, noticing her real-life skills as a swimmer and horse rider, crafted a character to draw out those strengths, an example of the trust between director and actor.

Turning to the young actors in the room, Suhasini shifted the conversation to the unpredictable world of commercial cinema. She asked if Khushboo ever sensed a hit while hearing a story.

To this, Khushboo cited the example of her blockbuster Chinnathambi, but also spoke candidly about films close to her heart, such as Captain Magal and Jathi Malli, that did not perform as expected. Every actor hopes for a successful film, she said, but the unpredictability of the box office remains a humbling constant.

Discussing the emotional spine of performance, Suhasini emphasised that actors inevitably bring fragments of their own selves into their characters. “Every scene is significant,” she said. “Begin each one as though you are beginning a new film.”

Khushboo added that her process often starts with imagining the character’s appearance and physicality, sharing an anecdote about being asked to wash off all makeup before a shot to preserve the authenticity of the director’s vision.

For aspiring actors in the audience, Suhasini stressed the importance of writing down dialogues in one’s native language and revisiting them repeatedly. Language, she noted, is often the first barrier an actor must overcome.