BEHINDWOODS COLUMN

Yeah! A big wish from my bucket list got ticked off today. If somebody asks me, “What will give you the utmost satisfaction in your life?”, I would put this column on top, as I have always dreamt since my childhood to write about ‘her’ with my name in the byline and penning my powerful love for her.

I don’t know whether this would turn out to be a column or a personal note to her. I also hope that nobody criticizes me for my buttery sweet words. There are oodles of things concerning her which I can talk about, but my long wait for her comeback flashes this second in my mind.

I have been longing to see her on-screen. She has been my inspiration and my lady love. My friends even question me, “Have you ever loved any other actor so much?” My immediate answer would be “NO”; even some would exclaim, “You still believe she would come back?’' though ‘‘I hope’’ was my cliched answer (but, I knew she would definitely comeback someday) . But now I have a confident reply “YES’’ she is back, Jo is back!

A Punjabi girl with a lot of passion for acting landed in Chennai - not knowing the language, people and culture. But she turned out to be the wonder woman, most sought after actor, one-take artist and the non-cliched beauty of Kollywood. Her journey as an artist is astounding which is visible from her dedication, diligence and the realistic characters she portrayed throughout her career. Being the finest example of a healthy heroine, after Kushboo, she stood-out amidst the stick-thin heroines. Jyothika is one of the very few heroines who challenged others without trying out any sensual dance numbers, and sustained that No.1 position during her career.

Be it the bold “Archana” in Mozhi, the fiery “Geetha” in Pachaikili Muthucharam, the gorgeously beautiful “Maya” in Kaakha Kaakha, the lively “Aaradhana” in Vettaiyadu Villaiyadu, the innocent “Shenbagam” in Perazhagan, the daring “Vasu” in Snegithiye and the bubbly “Eshwari” of Dhool, Jyothika has proved her versatility in each and every role.

When all of a sudden she took a heartbreaking decision to quit movies and marry her love ‘Suriya’, the film industry and her fans were shell-shocked. Even after this decision was made, she was approached by many directors and her fans longed for her to make a comeback.

After 8 years, she has definitely surprised me with her entry; which happens to be an ecstatic moment for me as I am just a month-old journalist. I think I have entered the world of cinema at the right time.There is a selfish intent in my statement. She has waited 8 years to touch the silver screen again, for me to watch her on screen as a serious film buff.

The warm welcome Jyothika has received for 36 Vayadhinile can be attributed only to the trust she has built over the years through her mature acting skills. No other heroine would get such an enthusiastic welcome from fans. This is the major reason she has not lost her fame and name after she got married. With such a re-entry into Tamil cinema after 8 years - a bold title and a powerful character, Jo is one of the rarest actresses Tamil cinema has ever come across.

36 is just a number for Jyothika and I wish that she would definitely continue to entertain us, teach us and enlighten us with her stupendous characters. This is a teeny request on behalf of all Jyothika fans out there!

To wrap up, my long wait is over; I am all set and excited to see you on screen Rasathi!

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