Blootics

Tamil television’s serial stars - Radhikaa, Devyani, and Sukanya, have managed to make the impossible possible, and they have done so with apparent ease. Transitioning from the silver screen to the small screen never seemed this alluring, as they made that big leap from “Stars” to familiar household names, a title that even the likes of Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan are vying for.

Over 300 movies and thirty years in the film industry, Radhikaa’s foray into the small screen, and she was one of the first ones to do so, almost seemed like a huge mistake, till Chitthi happened in 2000, and altered the course of mega serials. Eight years later, with Annamalai, Selvi and now Arasi, Radhikaa remains the reigning master of TRPs. As she said in a recent interview, “I am known as Selvi today, wherever I go. I always put in 100 percent in whatever I do.” Today, her production company, Radaan Mediaworks is one of the most successful, with talks of Chitthi being made in Hindi! It’s hardly surprising then that she is known as the Ekta Kapoor of Tamil television.

Another successful metamorphosis came in the garb of Abhinaya from Kolangal. Devyani burst into the small screen, when her “just married” status proved to be an obstacle in the film industry. She debuted in 2005, and despite three years going by, Kolangal still enjoys high TRPs and Devyani’s character continues to inspire women across the state. “Abhi has given me an indelible identity, that 80 films have failed to do,” she says.

Enter Sukanya, of Chinna Gounder fame. When Anandam hit the small screen, it hardly made an impact. But slowly and steadily its popularity increased, and today it’s one of the top serials on television. Despite being aired at 7pm earlier and now at 7:30pm, traditionally considered an unlikely time slot, Anandham’s success has re-defined this dictum. And so, thanks to the successes these ladies have enjoyed, we have actors like Ramya Krishnan and Saritha also accepting roles in serials. Not to forget the inimitable Kushboo, whose role as a game show host (for Jackpot) not only won her recognition for her spontaneity and enthusiasm (perhaps more than her serials like Kalki and now, Namma Kudumbam), but for her designer blouses as well.