I'm waiting to share my happiness with Bala sir: Poornima

Poornima Ramaswamy headed straight to director Bala Pazhanisaamy's residence after hearing that she had won the National Award for best costume designer for Tamil period-drama "Paradesi".

"I'm honoured to receive a National Award for my debut film. How many would be blessed with such an honour for their first film? I'm on my way to Bala sir's house to share my happiness with him because had not it been for him, I would have been nobody," Poornima told IANS.

"Besides Bala sir, I have to credit my team that was involved in the research work for getting everything in place for my work. It is a period film and, therefore, a lot of research work was needed to be executed with so many deadlines," she added.

"Paradesi", directed by Pazhanisaamy, is based on the novel "Red Tea". It is about the affliction of tea plantation workers of pre-independent India.

Atharva Murali, Vedhika Kumar and Dhansika played the lead in the film.

Poornima recently ventured into textile designing.

"My family owns few retail stores in Chennai and I used to manage it after my father's demise. I recently took interest in textile designing and started working full-time until I met Bala sir," she said.