'Direction has always been my passion'

Shakeela, with whose name the B-class theatres in Kerala once made a killing, is back after a hiatus. This time, the actress who sizzled in soft porn movies over a period, is wielding the megaphone for a change. In the film titled ‘Neelakurinji Poothu’, which is roughly based on Shakeela’s life, the actress is donning a major role, as well. The shooting started at Kochi on Monday.

Ask Shakeela the reason for her shift in vocation, she says, “I always wanted to be the captain of the ship. Direction has been my passion for long.” And on the response to her return, she says, “Malayalis haven’t changed a bit. They still view me with derisive eyes.” She pauses and continues, “I cannot blame them, because as a person, I haven’t revealed much. I rarely go outside my house in Chennai, and used to be in a burka. I have yet to prove myself.”

Shakeela, whom we last saw in a cameo role in ‘Teja Bhai & Family’ two years back, says her latest movie is a take on the travails of women. She says, “We often discuss issues of the women of upper strata. But there are certain women, who are even denied their basic needs. My film is about one such woman, who has to strive hard to raise her daughter.”

Based on the life of Shakeela’s mother who braved much hardships to look after her, the protagonist of the film engages herself in several jobs including that of a fisher woman and a lottery agent.

The casting of the film is progressing. Shakeela says she is planning to approach the lead actors of the industry. “I have Dileep in my mind, and I will ask for his dates,” she says. The major locations of the film are Chennai, Pazhani and Kochi.

The actress is also making a brief appearance in ‘KQ’ directed by Baiju Johnson, which has hit headlines for being the debut Mollywood project of Parvathy Omanakuttan. Besides that, Shakeela has her hands full with a couple of Telugu and Tamil projects.