Soniya's dignified silence

For the true blue Punjabi kudi Soniya Agarwal, entering Kollywood was no easy task, and the accolades she garnered in the few years came on no platter.

As her spirit grew in stature and she strove towards excellence, she found what she was always looking for, “a simple man with depth and sensitivity,” she says, speaking fondly of Selvaraghavan, her estranged husband. As she “learnt her craft and the language, thanks to his help on the three movies we worked together on (Kadhal Kondein, 7 G Rainbow Colony and Pudupettai),” shares Soniya, “it was coming together of two minds and he has nurtured me.” But as the director’s magnum opus 'Aayirithil Oruvan' moved from schedule to schedule, one thing became clear – there was a new muse in Selva’s life. Andrea, his film’s heroine and he were allegedly having a rollicking romance.

In the wake of all these rumours and a sad divorce, Soniya put her arms around her closest pals and shared her silent fears, “He was a pillar in my life. I love him for his sensitivity and the way he molded me to be a better person,” she says adding that, “I chose to work on my marriage and never did I once speak of anyone else.” As sections of the press went to town with gimmicky headlines and convoluted quotes, Soniya maintained a dignified silence and spoke no ill. In fact on the topic of the ‘other woman’, she simply smiled and said, “My relationship is with Selva and that is the only important thing, the rest don’t matter. I believe in karma and feel that god will never let me down.” And with this statement she proves that she is a true star in a generational vanguard who clearly took a dignified stance and took to heart the maxim that women “must never comment on the other person. Instead focus on the truth and depth of your own relationship.” And in doing just that Soniya divorced herself from the world of a merely average starlet who opportunistically latches on to a film maker.

As the divorce reconciliation period draws close, Soniya is upbeat and promises to “not let those close to me down. I know people care about me and have truly helped me deal with my life and love. For their sake, I shall march on and hopefully attain perfection in life, love and marriage one day.” And as the young girl from Punjab walks the path in search of sensitivity and solace, we wish her resilience, strength and success. And as every film has a positive ending we hope the couple uses the next ten days to reflect, introspect and do the right thing by each other.