Shweta Vijay loves challenges and when director Sasi Paravoor offered her the role of Janaki in the movie ‘Kadaksham’ she could not resist it. And with that movie she is entering Mollywood hoping to woo the audience.

“It is a deglamourised role and for me it was a new experience altogether,” says Shweta, who made her debut as an actor in the Hollywood production ‘Good Sharma’.

Her stint with glamour started in 2003 with the winning of the Femina Miss India (Earth) title. She has won other beauty contests outside the country as well but acting, dancing and singing were her passion.

The role of Janaki, a domestic help who comes to the household of Suresh Gopi and Shweta Menon, that Shweta portrays in the movie ‘Kadaksham’ was a new experience for this former Miss India.

The entire story revolves around Janaki and her search for her own identity. “The film has a message. It is about child abuse, the trauma a family undergoes and how their struggle is easily forgotten by people,” says Shweta. She is thankful that she got an opportunity to portray a complex character which could completely bring out her acting prowess.

“This is a character that is usually portrayed by experienced actors who can easily emote. The director was looking for either an experienced actor or someone absolutely new and fresh so that he could mould her,” recollects Shweta.

It was her friend Geethu Mohandas who suggested her name to the director. Shweta sent a few photographs but the director was not happy as he was not looking for a glamorous girl.

“But there was this picture of mine which I hated but landed me this role. It was an ordinary picture sans any glamour,” says Shweta who was called to Thiruvananthapuram for the screen test. “It was a great experience.

I had to present myself before 30 people. The director liked my performance and I got the job,” she says with a smile.

A trained classical dancer, Shweta says she has a classical number in the movie and she is waiting for people to see it.

The movie will be released on February 2 and Shweta is keeping her fingers crossed. “I’m just hoping that the audience will like my performance.” After the challenging role, she wants to play a glamorous role in Malayalam. “I have given my heart and soul to the myself to be typecast so I would like to do a commercial movie next,” she says.

A singer and composer, she has co-composed songs for many Bollywood movies and has worked with some of the big names in the industry.

“I was fortunate enough to get KK to sing my compositions.

He is a fantastic singer and one of my favourites,” she says.

Sweta has sung title songs for movies like ‘Acid Factory’, ‘Aa Dekhen Zara’ and Dus Kahaniyam’.

She is working on her own music album which she is planning to release by the end of this year.

Sweta is hoping to balance her singing and acting careers this year. Her dream is to work for renowned directors like Priyadarshan and Lal Jose. “I am hoping to work for Mani Ratnam and Rajiv Menon some day,” says the lady who has set her priorities right.

But for now she is just waiting for the release of ‘Kadaksham’ and we wish her luck.