“The strength of a film is decided by how powerful and believable the villain is. The conflict is all about the opposition that the hero faces. When it’s a female villain, it’s all the more challenging because it won’t look good if the hero physically overpowers her,” said Nassar. In Padayappa, Krishnan exuded a brash sensuality and arrogance that ought to have made her instantly dislikable, but it’s hard to hate the actor as she struts around in a short red dress and boots, totally owning absurd lines like, “Shut up. Maatukku pudicha colour ellam ennala poda mudiyadhu. Enakku pudicha colour dhaan ennala poda mudiyum! (I can’t wear clothes in the colour that the bull likes, I can only wear clothes in the colour that I like!)”. Neelambari might have been written as a caricature but Krishnan succeeded in making her entirely real and entertaining to watch.
“As a director, I can tell you that this wasn’t simple to do, not opposite a phenomenon like Rajinikanth,” said Vamsi, who rates Neelambari as one of Krishnan’s best performances. “But she was able to match his presence with her own. She commanded respect for the character. I’ve often felt that she’s like water, adapting to any role with ease.”
Neelambari became so iconic that Krishnan played a cameo, essaying the same character, in Rajinikanth’s Baba (2002). Nassar also reprised his role from Padayappa for a comedy scene where Neelambari is still obsessed with Padayappa and her hapless brother tries to convince her that Baba isn’t Padayappa. When Krishnan forayed into the television serial space in 2008 with Kalasam on Sun TV, her character was called Neelambari.