Floored by Tamil star Simbu's dedication: Saranya Mohan

“Why are you doing this to me? Can’t you see I am such a sweet little thing,” this wasn’t a film dialogue, mind you. Just what Silambarasan told Saranya Mohan. Over 26 lakh viewers saw the makeover video of the actor which showcases his weight loss journey from 105 to 72 kilos. His treatment included practicing Kalari, yoga, and Bharatnatyam in Kerala. Simbu who was in Kerala for his weight-loss mission was taught dancing by Saranya. As Simbu is all set to make a terrific comeback in films and life, Saranya is as excited as his fans.

That doctor is my husband

During the Kalari practice, Simbu suffered a minor bruise on his head, and you can spot that in the makeover video. The primary doctor is also assuring him that it is nothing serious. That doctor is her husband Aravind. “It was while he was just about to shut down his clinic that he got a call from his friend asking him to rush to Taj hotel. This was for actor Silambarasan. But they didn’t say exactly for what purpose. That’s when we came to know of Simbu’s injury,” said Saranya.

It was towards the end of 2020 that he came to Kerala. And it was purely by chance that I got an opportunity to teach him to dance. The day she stopped by her husband’s dental clinic, Simbu was also there. Though we had acted in a film together, we didn’t know each other personally. He was astonished to see me. At that time he was actively involved in yoga and Kalari. That’s when he expressed his interest in learning dancing. He was on the lookout for a dance teacher who would come to his hotel and teach him. Since it was lockdown, none of the teachers I suggested were able to come. That’s when I decided to take up the job.

Two-week training

The training took about two weeks. We would plan the practice sessions according to his convenience. Each session will be for an hour.

Simbu’s dedication

His main aim was to lose weight. He is a fine dancer who is adept at classical and cinematic dance forms. He learns things fast. I never felt like I was teaching him for the first time, and he also worked hard. Very few people put in this kind of effort. He would begin exercising early morning as he was determined to lose weight. He was ready to go to any extent for his mission.

Taught him classical dance form

He wanted to learn classical dance and so I taught him Bharatnatyam. I taught him the basics one by one and later went to the main portions. Simbu will learn all the steps very fast. So I would give him moderately difficult steps to do. That’s when he will tell me— “Ey amma engitte ippadiyellam panre. Enne patha paavama theriyile?” (Why are you doing this to me, lady? Can’t you see I am such a sweet little thing?”)

Jokes apart this was no big deal for Simbu who would learn all the steps quickly and do it smoothly. We practiced near a mandapam near the Taj hotel. It was a quiet and calm place, ideal for training. So we never felt bored. I wasn’t aware that my training was being shot like a documentary.

Gift

A few days after the training, his team had come home, bearing gifts. There were clothes, sweets, and toys for the entire family. A wonderful thank you gift from Simbu.