It was a little over a week when actress Sonalee Kulkarni sat down opposite this writer to discuss her new film that is running in theatres. One may recall Sonalee as a Marathi actress who is well known for her work in films like ‘Natrang’, Jhimma, and `Mitwa` to name a few. Yes, of course, who can ever forget `Apsara Ali`. The popular track that had the entire nation grooving was released over a decade ago. Malayalam film director Lijo Jose Pellissery is seemingly a fan of the song. “It was like a hunt. Go find Sonalee from Apsara Ali was Lijo’s word (to his team). Then everybody from the production to direction to casting came hunting me and they finally found me,” says Sonalee adding that the film `Malaikottai Vaaliban` came to her at a time she was seeking to explore chartered territories. 

The Kerala fan experience: