You have now been awarded the Abhinava Puraskaram award by Sangeetha of the UK? Do you see it as recognition from the Malayalees in the United Kingdom?

I do not see it in any different way! I don't see Malayalees in the UK any different from the people of Kerala. Even though they are living here, they are still Keralites. I am happy that Keralites here have thought about me and bestowed upon me this honour.

What is your impression about the Keralites living here?
They are very receptive and helpful. They are broad-minded and do give respect wherever it is due. In a light-minded way, she added: Whoever I speak to in Croydon is from towns in Thiruvananthapuram such as Varkala, Edava, Kadakkavur etc. I think only Lord Padmanabha Swamy is the only person left behind in Thiruvananthapuram now.

You have immense experience in the film world. Do you plan to pass this on to the new generation? Any plans to write a book?
No not at all! Youngsters have a clear concept about acting, and they are proving it! When you write a book you need to reveal everything, which, perhaps, may not suit everyone's taste, so I am not into it.

Whom do you see as a promising star? Why are young actresses disappearing from the Malyalam film world after a short stint?
I see in Kavya Madhavan, Navya Nair and some others, great sparks of excellence. Most of the budding actresses are promising. But, they need to continue in the film world for a longer period to set that spark on fire. I don't blame these actresses leaving the film scene. Their parents want their children to lead a happy married life and no one would want their daughter to remain unmarried.

As an actress do you engage in prior preparations before doing a particular role? Do you also research and study the character you are about to perform?
No. I leave it to the director to decide how he wants me to do the role. The director would be coming with a wider and fuller picture of the film in his mind. I would be just thinking about my character and if I do anything different then it would disturb the whole framework. However big an actor or actress the best thing to do is to listen to your director as a student listens to his master.

Do you feel that the standard of Malayalam cinema has come down recently - and if so, the reasons for it?
No. The standards have not come down. The film CID Moosa was a hit and at the same time Nandanam also proved to be a success at the box office. This shows that viewers want variety. Variety is the spice of life. Previously stunt films were a hit and now no one wants them anymore. People want aesthetic pleasure. They want an equal mix of everything such as music, comedy, sentiments etc. They want to sit down forget their worries and enjoy for a couple of hours.

As an actress whom have you admired the most in film world? Do you think Malayalee actors are a class apart?
I admired Lalitha Pawar, a Hindi actress who could act any character with nonchalant ease. Malayalee actors/actresses are all good but that does not mean that there are none out there who are as good as Malayalam actors. What about Pran, Anupam Kher, Nagesh, Manorama (from other languages) are they not good actors? We also have actors who easily stand up to any one else elsewhere like Jagathy, Nedumudi Venu, Innocent, Srinivasan and others. For example, will there be another Jagathy? Never. In my next film Mizhi Randilum Jagathi is acting as my son and is somewhat of a villain. Even during the shooting, I felt like smacking him for the mischief he shows. He is that good!

Are you content that you took up acting as a profession?
For someone who has studied only till Third form, what else should I dream of? Can I become an IAS officer? I am happy and thanks to the Almighty for His blessings.

A brief about your family?
My husband is the late Bhim Singh, a Maharashtrian. He was a film director. I have a son Suresh, who is a doctor and my daughter-in-law is a costume designer - they have a grandson Vignesh. I was born in Nagercoil and my parents are Madhavan Nair and Satyabhama.

So what are your next plans?
Just before coming to the United Kingdom my brother (actress Shobhana's father) died. I could not go for the funeral. When I return I have to go to pay respect to my brother. After that, I have to complete a few films - Ranjith's Ammakilikkoodu, Mizhi Randilum, plus a few serials - Swapnam, Mayamma and others.

Are there any big plans for Onam? How did you plan to celebrate Onam?
I don't have any big plans. I have always celebrated Onam at the film sets. I never managed to get back home in time for sadyas. I always used to celebrate it wherever I was -- for me work is worship.