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MUMBAI: Nadiya Moidu is one of the biggest names down South. She started her career in 1984 with the Malayalam film Nokketha Doorathu Kannum Nattu. She later did Tamil and Telugu movies, and was recently seen in an Indian English film titled Wonder Women which premiered on Sony LIV.
TellyChakkar recently interacted with Nadiya and she candidly spoke about being the original choice for Maine Pyar Kiya, South vs Bollywood debate, and more…
You have done many movies down South, but why haven’t you done any Bollywood film yet?
I was originally offered Maine Pyar Kiya. I actually started my career in 1984 and I got married by the end of 1988. I got married because I knew my husband before I got into films. So, the focus at that time was to settle down. When we decided to get married, Rajshri Productions came with Maine Pyar Kiya. But, as I already decided to get married, that was the call I took. I moved abroad and I was there for a very long time; I took a sabbatical for around 15 years. So, when we moved back to India, one day Maine Pyar Kiya was playing on TV. My daughters knew who Salman Khan is; then I told them that mumma was offered to do Maine Pyar Kiya. So, they said you said Salman a no; I told them that my choice was either Salman Khan or daddy, and I chose daddy over Salman Khan. But, no regrets, and I did get offers from the Hindi film industry, but honestly I was extremely busy in the South.
Hindi dubbed versions of South films have been doing well at the box office, and there’s a debate that South might take over Bollywood. What’s your take on it?
I don’t know what it is. Sometimes I am very surprised when I am recognized in Mumbai, and people come and ask me ma’am can I have a picture with you. Then I would say you are not a South Indian, how do you know me, so they would say that ma’am we watch your dubbed films. So, probably there’s some way it is being able to connect. Because of cable TV and streaming platforms, the world has become small, and people are able to access films from different parts. At the end of the day, emotions are all the same. I think the accessibility has grown and hence people are getting to watch what was not there earlier. Things have progressed and the North-South barrier has gone. I think the lines have blurred and the industries have amalgamated really well.
We have seen a lot of times that after a certain age actresses don’t get lead roles, while actors in their 50s are still romancing young actresses. Do you think this should change and why is it happening?
It should change. I think we just need directors and writers who think differently. People ask me what kind of characters you want to play and I just say ‘I want to do a full-fledged action film’. I don’t know what is written; sometimes you get a very different script that excites you. I did a film recently which was a silent film; it was an anthology. So, sometimes something just comes your way and you want to do it and enjoy it.
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