Jyothika, who ruled Tamil commercial cinema in the early 2000s as a leading lady, has made a sensational comeback with 36 Vayidhinile. Jyothika popularly known as Jo had married Tamil superstar Suriya and was keeping away from the arc lights for the last eight years.

Jyothika’s comeback film, 36 Vayadhinile, is the story of a 36-year-old house-wife and a government employee with an insenstive husband. How she regains her self-esteem after she decides to chase her own dreams forms the rest of the story. It has traces of Sridevi’s comeback vehicle English Vinglish, directed by Gowri Shinde as the story is about woman empowerment.

36 Vayadhinile directed by Rosshan Andrews is the Tamil remake of Malayalam blockbuster How Old Are You.

The Tamil version featured Jyothika in the lead role and her actor husband, Suriya for 2D Entertainment, produced the film.

Surya while speaking at the thanksgiving meet for the press expressed that he paid Jyothika her remuneration only when the film was declared blockbuster. Now it is heard that he had paid Rs 5 crores to Jyothika.

A beaming Jyothika said:“ I did this film with a fire inside me believing that women should be respected for being home makers at the same time there should be a drive to chase their own dreams.” It was Suriya who first saw How Old Are You and suggested that it is the right film for a comeback.

Jo says she decided to quit 8 years back at the right time after her marriage to Suriya. She says she was very happy at home bringing up her two children, before this role landed up in her lap. Says Jo, “After marriage, husband and family become everything for a wife. I did the film because I felt it will give heroines a better standing in this male-dominated industry and it will make women understand that our identity lies in our self-respect, confidence and achievements, and not just in marital status.”

Jo has no plans to sign any new films, unless her character is well etched out and no running around trees and singing songs. Added Jyothika, “ Tamil cinema is definitely coming off age, as we never expected this kind of success as critics and box-office has loved it. I’m happy that people are feeling inspired.”