‘Playing Suu Kyi was emotionally draining’, says Rukmini Vijayakumar

Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi, one of the greatest defenders of democracy, has been a living example of the power of endurance. Her story is a stark illustration of the oppressive potential of unbridled power. And bringing to life the struggles of the Noble Peace Prize winner on stage was actor and danseuse Rukmini Vijayakumar in Richard Shannon’s play, The Lady of Burma , directed by Prakash Belawadi. “Suu Kyi is one of the most powerful women we’ve ever seen. While it was an honour to play her, the whole experience was emotionally draining because I was portraying a prolific person who is still alive. Among the many things I learnt from her story, I understood the true meaning of rage. Also, being a one-actor performance, this play posed many challenges such as engaging the audience, filling the stage and also understanding the importance of movement,” says Rukmini who recently staged the play presented by Jupiter Fine Arts, in the city. 

Although this is one of Rukmini’s first solo theatre performances, her life on the stage as a dancer started at a tender age. “But I didn’t think I would do it as a profession until I completed high school. I decided to apply to the dance college and did my Bachelor in Fine Arts in dance. It was one of the hardest decisions. Unlike other professions, making a career in performing arts is very different as you have to make your own path. It is scarier but it is much more exciting and challenging to take the road less travelled,” she says. Rukmini, who performs across the globe, excels in both her domains of interest, Bharatanatyam and ballet. She learned ballet at the Boston Conservatory. However, Rukmini’s conscious attempt has been not to mix the vocabulary of the two. 

She occasionally lights up the big screen with her acting stints too. Despite making a dream debut in veteran filmmaker Bharathiraja’s Bom malattam (2008), for which she also won critical acclaim, Rukmini’s chequered career that includes Kochadaiyaan and Shamitabh , has seen many breaks with just about 5 films until yet. Cutting in, she says none of it was calculated. “I need assurance of creative satisfaction for committing five to six months to a film. And I hate mediocrity and there’s no place for it. I don’t want to flit between two or three films at the same time, not doing complete justice to any. I’d rather not do them at all. Also, my film career graph is governed by the scripts that I’m offered, and there are not many. There isn’t much to do in the scripts. In a large number of films I’m offered, I could be a chair. Having said that, I’m extremely passionate about films and I want to do more work,” says the graduate (in acting) of New York Film Academy. 

As testimony to her conviction, she jumped at the opportunity when she was offered Mani Ratnam’s Kaatru Veliyidai , also starring Karthi and Aditi Rao Hydari. Without divulging details, she says, “I’m playing an important role and I’ve shot for a major portion already. I got to experience why Mani sir’s work is the way it is.”