Although Sai Pallavi played Indhu Rebecca Varghese well, her acting has its highs and lows, especially with her bipolar-like shifts in personality. She is extremely happy when in love, with a bright face and a beautiful smile. Even after learning that she will marry a military man, the scenes intended to show longing and missing from her side depict her as constantly expressing sadness. Yes, women cry, humans cry, but considering a woman with such a strong character, this portrayal of a naive girl doesn’t do justice to Indu’s character.
When we see Indhu Rebecca Varghese’s real-life photos and videos, her dignified behavior doesn’t show any over-display of emotions, and her face doesn’t even convey sadness. When receiving the presidential medal, she smiled as if she truly believed Mukund was still with her. Her smile was pure then. But in the movie, Sai Pallavi’s face is extremely sad. Some may argue that it’s the actor’s choice on how to portray a character. However, Indhu Rebecca Varghese is not a fictional character—she is a real person. When you make a movie in her name, you need to remain true to her character. That’s what biopics are for.
What needs to be checked out is that there are strong characters portrayed on South Indian screens. Radhika and Anju in Keladi Kannmanii, Jayaprada in Anthuleni Kadha, Jayasudha in Idi Kadha Kadu, Suhasini in Mudhula Manavaralu, Amma, Aradhana, Akka Mogudu, both Jayas in Meghasandesham, Revathi, and Vanisri in almost all her films. They did cry in those movies when they got hurt, but it didn’t show their naivety. Their weeping didn’t feel excessive or over-expressive. It actually conveyed the emotion of a strong woman simply relieving her burdens.
Amaran was a great movie, but it would be preferred to watch the real Indhu Rebecca Varghese rather than the fan-fictionalized version of Sai Pallavi’s Indu. The real Indu, as seen in interviews, truly is a ray of sunshine.