Simran Reclaims The Spotlight With Tourist Family

Simran, Unfiltered: On Her Tourist Family Return, Ageing With Grace & Owning The Frame

In this candid conversation with Subha J Rao , Simran opens up about her career resurgence with Tourist Family , the joy of playing nuanced roles, and the challenges of being a woman in cinema today.

MENTION SIMRAN , and the Tamil audience would, until recentl,y happily dive deep into nostalgia, with fond recollections of films from the 1990s and early 2000s. And then, Abishan Jeevinth’s Tourist Family happened on May 1. The response to the film — it has raked in more than Rs 75 crore gross worldwide, and is going strong in week four — and Simran’s Vasanthi has taken everyone, including the actress, by surprise. “It’s like travelling back in time by 20 years. This love, this reception, it makes me recall why I got into cinema in the first place,” says Simran.

Two years ago, when Rahul V Chittella’s Gulmohar dropped on Hotstar, a section of the audience and some reviewers suddenly ‘re-discovered’ Simran, who they last remembered from the ‘ Aankh Maare’ song from the nearly 30-year-old film Tere Mere Sapne . Fans and cinema buffs from the South rose in her defence, and gently, and some vociferously, pointed out her two-decade run in Tamil, marked by blockbuster films and chartbuster songs. And, the conversation veered around why new-age directors were not writing roles for someone with obvious talent and a rich screen history.

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“ Tourist Family seems to be the answer to that,” laughs Simran. “I am very happy the audience is happy seeing me in a role with a well-defined arc. This film offered me scope for performance, comedy, romance… It brought back so many memories of the late 1990s and early 2000s. I felt Vasanthi was written for me.”

Just a few weeks before Tourist Family , Simran had an interesting cameo that reminded people of her 90s avatar in Good Bad Ugly , starring Ajith Kumar. Her Priya was an amalgamation of the quintessential 90s Simran, with delightful past references to her Tamil hits.

In this conversation, the actress talks about her career arc, the gravitas that age lends to a performance and why she thinks it is important to choose a script with care. Edited excerpts below:

Welcome back, Simran!

Ah, thanks. It feels good to be back. When Abishan narrated the film, it felt like this role was written for me. I think it has given me a fresh lease of life on screen, after Kannathil Muthamittal, Vaaranam Aayiram and Petta . I was waiting for a role of substance, and it finally came by.

It has such repeat value and such interesting character arcs. There is emotion and humour, and each character is written well. I’d been missing these, and so I just took the leap.

This film reminds you of what clean humour used to be like. That it has done commercially well is even more gratifying.

What has Tourist Family given you?

The satisfaction of seeing myself back on the big screen in a very good role. And, the joy of receiving audience love — it is incomparable.

In 2023, you appeared in Gulmohar in a role that called for a great deal of maturity. Do you think your age and lived experiences add to the performance?

Yes, they possibly add to what I already give a character as a trained performer. After Gulmohar , I have been choosing roles with some scope. I might do a Good Bad Ugly in between, but I am looking forward to some drama, comedy and even action.

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You’ve allowed age to touch your face, a rarity in films.

But that’s who I am. I feel that at every age, we should allow ourselves to accept our age gracefully. Every age has something to offer, and we should embrace it.

I have never been someone who gives too much importance to my looks or skin texture. I’ve been blessed genetically with a photogenic face, and I have always been into yoga and have eaten healthy.

I have never overdone my make-up, and I think that stems from my general confidence levels. I don’t do a role I am not comfortable with, so there’s no pressure, and I think that comfort shows on screen.

You’re also one of the very few actors who opted to play an on-screen mom early on…

Yes, but if you notice, none of them were one-note mothers. They had other things to do, other relationships to nourish, other goals to pursue. In the case of Vasanthi, she’s the glue who keeps the family together. She’s the person who breaks the ice with the neighbourhood. She’s the one who forges bonds with food. She’s also a new-age mother who is in touch with her son and aware of his fondness for a girl. And, she’s a bundle of warmth, despite all that life has thrown at her.

And, director Abishan gave me a few pointers and references and told me all about Vasanthi. We decided on a no-makeup look and a simple hairdo to go with her non-fussy saris. A lone bangle completed the picture. That ensured Vasanthi was one among the audience.

And, I am not someone who thinks one has to be a mother in real life to get the nuances right or to express ourselves better. Love and compassion are universal. If you see a small boy cry, you will react, whether you’re a mother or not. The human instinct is to soothe the child. And, I like to practise that compassion in my life.

Here are 5 films displaying Simran's acting prowess in Tamil cinema. Watch them on OTTplay Premium

Speaking of compassion, you spoke something at a public event about a fellow actress commenting on ‘aunty’ roles. That was very unlike you.

I agree. But when that was the reaction I got to a perfectly civilised conversation, I was deeply hurt. I could not sleep that night. I’ve always been this quiet person who does not solicit trouble, and who stays silent. If people speak, I usually move away. I have been busy with my work, even if I have been doing ‘aunty’ roles. But many people tend to misunderstand silence for weakness. I got an apology the next day. I moved on.

We should all learn to be happy with the work we are doing. We should live a life without judging others; that’s the only way to get a good night’s sleep. And that’s the most precious thing in the world.

You mentioned once, Simran, about newer teams not recognising the work one has put in over the years…

Yes, it is deeply frustrating. As a director, you cannot ask me, after all these years, to come for an audition to check if I might fit a role, and not even be present. I’m all for workshopping, but you already know what I am capable of. If you don’t, it means you did not even check who you’re calling to audition.

In some web series, I had no idea what I was doing. I regret taking them up, but they offered learning too. I have now decided to never work with people who don’t tell you the story in one go. I will work in Hindi again only if I find someone like-minded and with whom there is a genuine connection and respect.

I am happier with my identity in the South, where I have a legacy and a body of work. I am not the ‘ Aankh Maare ’ girl here, thankfully! (laughs).

Working then and now, do you think you’d had it easier?

Definitely. We were allowed to make mistakes and learn. Today, the world is far less kind. Social media brings down careers in an instant. In those days, we still had a personal life. We went to beauty parlours, lunches and dinners, and no one bothered us. We possibly had to sign autographs, and not many would even ask for a photograph. Now, paparazzi wait even outside gyms. You are constantly in the eye of the camera, and being consumed as content. This is all very strange to me.

You’ve always been an advocate of better-written roles for women…

Honestly, looking back, I think in the 90s and early 2000s, we definitely had meatier roles for the heroines. We got to initially showcase all we were capable of, be it romance, action, comedy or drama, and then we chose a path for ourselves. So, we did female-centric films and star vehicles, but we had something substantial to do. This is why I say women should put their energy into what will benefit them in the long run. You cannot have good actresses sitting at home after a couple of good films, like they are now, because there’s no budget. As such, girls have to be mentally very strong to survive in the industry, and they must not settle for anything less than what they are capable of.

Can you name five characters you’ve played that are close to your heart?

Vasanthi, Malini ( Vaaranam Aayiram ), Indra ( Kannathil Muthamittal ), Rukku ( Thulladha Manamum Thullum ) and Priya ( Gulmohar ).

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