Panaji: Malayalam actor Rachana Narayanankutty is all excited to attend her first IFFI as two of her films are included in the Indian Panorama section of the 10-day festival which is on here.
Rachana feels film festivals are important because they offer the opportunity to watch movies made in other languages in India which too often even Indians don't get a chance to watch. "Foreign films are often available but Indian films other than those made in Bollywood are not. And film festivals bring to us such films from which we have a lot to learn,” Rachana told Onmanorama on the premises of INOX complex, the main venue of IFFI here.
About Priyamananasam, the Sanskrit movie with which the Indian Panorama section in the IFFI-15 was opened, the actor said she was proud to be part of such a historically relevant film. "The film is historically important as it portrays the life of poet Unnayi Warrier, which nobody has done before. Thematically also it is relevant as it deals with the inner conflicts of the poet."
Rachana essays the role of a queen in the Travancore royal family with a taste for arts in the film.
On her role in Ain directed by Sidhartha Siva, Rachana said the character indeed made her realise the potential of the medium of cinema itself as an actor.
"Being a practising dancer, I used to think that only stage can give ecstasy to an actor. But the film Ain changed that notion. The film was shot in a very different way. Sidharth gave us full freedom as actors and it helped me a lot," Rachana, who entered filmdom through Sidharth's debut 101 Chodyangal said.
Rachana essays the role of a young Muslim widow who is a victim of political violence in Ain.
Rachana has a handful of new projects. Currently she is working for Mammootty-starrer Puthiya Niyamam directed by AK Sajan. She will be seen as a club dancer in Preethi Panikker's debut movie titled Thilothama.
Adoorum Thoppilum allatha Bhasi is another project she is excited about. The film directed by Vishnu and written by Jayaraj will have Indrajith in the lead role.