The negative comments on social media never affected me: Gayathri

Having debuted in the showbiz industry as veteran choreographer Raguram’s daughter, Gayathri made a mark of her own in very little time. The determined lady, who forayed into acting a decade-and-a-half ago, later tried her luck at dancing, which she has been successfully continuing for a long time. The actress-turned-choreographer opens up about the controversies involved as part of her participation in Bigg Boss, her directorial project, acting offers and more...
Tell us your experience of staying in the Bigg Boss house for almost two months...
It was like a roller-coaster ride. I haven’t seen any versions of the show which had appeared in different languages, so I had no idea how it was going to be. But I took it up thinking it would be an adventurous experience. I blindly went in to meet new people and have some fun. I feel that being judged based on 60 minutes of the show every day out of 24 hours was completely unfair. Most of the time, the viewers didn’t get to see the other version of what was shown to them. Unfortunately, the promos were cut in such a way that I was the baddie in the house. There were times when I lent a helping hand to Oviya. The character assassination I faced was something which I never expected. It was bad that some of us were put in embarrassing situations.
There were accusations against you for targeting Julie in the beginning and cornering Oviya later...
In a house where you have to live with unknown people, misunderstandings are bound to happen. It’s similar to how you enter into a new relationship. It takes time to gel with everyone. I never intended to corner anyone. In fact, at one point, we all realised that Oviya needs help. She should have conveyed her discomfort to someone. Now that the show is over, I’m friends with everyone who were part of the show, contrary to what most of the viewers think. I will be more than happy to be there for Oviya as a sister whenever she needs any help. What mattered to me was the participation in the show, and I’m happy with the experience I had. I’ll keep in touch with everyone in the house.
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You hail from a respected filmy background. Do you think you had an advantage in the house when compared to others who couldn’t boast of it?
There wasn’t any such advantage. It wasn’t easy for me in the house, unlike what people think. I agree people without filmy background would have been more apprehensive in the beginning. Take for instance Julie — she started doing well after a few weeks. She needed support and I was happy that I was there for her.
What do you think about Arav winning the title?
I think he really deserved it — he has been a calm and composed person. He went through a lot of hardships. In fact, he had won the hearts of other contestants in the house, too, which was more important. We all loved him. I’m really happy for his success.
Who do you think was playing smart in the house?
Snehan. When we were shown the videos which had viewers clapping and hooting for our reactions in the house, I was confused if it was real or not. Somehow, Snehan could understand the pulse of the audience and started following it. Actually, I expected him to win, considering his measured performance.
How do you deal with the trolls and memes that target you?
In a free country like ours, everyone is free to voice their opinion and criticise anything which they think is unfair. I was ready for brickbats after a point of time when I knew that I will be judged based on what was being shown to the viewers. But there has to be a limit when it comes to judging and roasting others. The irony is that many people who criticised me for using bad words on the show were abusing me in an unpardonable way. Though the harsh comments upset me, I never gave up.
Do you think the ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’ in the house will continue to be so even outside?
No. The response from the audience, I feel, is temporary. However, we can’t change the perceptions of viewers about us very soon.
You made a comment that Tamil girls are not given their due when it comes to cinema. Why do you think so?
Take a look at the successful heroines in Kollywood and one can easily understand this. Except one or two, the major heroines who’ve been in demand have always been from other states. I don’t know why Tamil girls aren’t getting the recognition they serve here, especially when they are extremely talented.
Have you been getting acting offers post your stint in Bigg Boss?
Yes, a lot. I was approached with several offers — a good number of them were characters with negative shade. I will take up interesting ones that come my way. I will be doing acting and dancing simultaneously hereafter. My directorial debut, 'Yaadhumaagi Nindraai', too, is ready. I’m looking forward to this women-centric film which will showcase the hardships women dancers face in the industry. It will have a lot of sequences which are based on real incidents.
You are politically inclined to BJP, a party which has less acceptance in Tamil Nadu. Do you think that was also a reason why you got trolled mercilessly?
Yes, that was also a reason why I had to face a lot of trouble on social media. The kind of comments I received on Twitter was horrendous. People who are opposing the ideology of BJP here should know that people can’t be fooled for a long time. Other parties which have been promising good governance over the years have done nothing to our people.