BASKING IN THE CHENNAI SUN!

Rumour has it that you were thrown out of Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se, after only two days of shooting...
Who says I was thrown out? I walked out gracefully, owing to date problems. When I signed the film, I thought I’d be able to juggle with the dates to accommodate the Mani Ratnam film. But he wanted bulk dates in March, which I’d already promised to other producers, all of whom panicked when they heard about it. I thought it was wrong to put so many people in trouble for the sake of one film, though I regret giving the Mani Ratnam film a miss. But there’s always a next time.

Although you came to South Indian films with the Mammootty-starrer, Indra Prastham, you aren’t doing Malayalam films any longer, preferring Telugu films instead. Is it big money that attracts you to Telugu films?
Well, I’m open to acting in films in all languages. But Malayalam filmmakers generally prefer finishing their schedules in one go, and hence, demand bulk dates from the artistes. Considering my other commitments, there’s no way I can do that at the moment.

Nobody acts for free, and I act for money too. Money definitely was an attraction in my decision to act in Telugu films. But in all three Telugu films I’ve done so far, I had performance-oriented roles and they were also big hits.

What about going back to Hindi films,
which every heroine yearns to do, given a chance?
I have a film opposite Govinda, to be directed by Kuku Kohli. I’d be surprised if it doesn’t take years to complete. In Mumbai’s filmdom, newcomers like me, who don’t have godfathers, don’t stand much of a chance, especially since there are so many star children vying for roles.

Your recent release, Kondattam hasn’t fared well at the box-office.
Does it make you jittery?
Not at all. One film doesn’t mar a career. Besides, Kondattam was received well initially, remember? The Telugu-dubbed version is doing very well in Andhra. In fact, I had a different kind of role in Kondattam, and my performance did win rave reviews.

In a recent interview with a private TV channel, you looked quite plain without any make-up. Don’t you think such TV appearances could affect your career as a dream girl?
I’m not surprised I looked disastrous in that interview. It was shot over four days, during breaks for lunch on the sets of a film. There wasn’t enough time to fuss over my appearance. Besides, I don’t believe in any of this image business. I’m still a simple girl at heart, not one to fuss over things like make-up if I can avoid it. Even now, I do a lot of travelling on buses, autos and cycle-rickshaws. I do much of my own cooking and stitching, like any other ordinary girl. So what’s the harm if I look like one? My fans like me for what I am on the big screen, not off it.

How do you find life in Chennai? Why is it that you still stay in hotels when you can afford to have a house of your own?
My family is fairly well-entrenched in Mumbai. My sisters and brothers study in Mumbai, where they’ve found their roots. It’d be too much to expect them to shift base to Chennai to suit my convenience. What’s more, maintaining a house isn’t a joke. Only my mom’s here with me, and we’d have no one to maintain the house when we’re away on location.

The fact that I stay in a hotel doesn’t mean I’m uncertain about my future in films, or that I’d quit Chennai at the first opportunity. Even at the height of her success, Sridevi preferred to stay in a hotel in Mumbai, didn’t she?
I like Chennai a lot, especially Madrasi cuisine, which is less oil-based than our Punjabi food. To some extent, I’ve begun to pick up some Tamil too. Telugu still is a bit of a tongue-twister, though, and lengthy dialogues are still a bother. But the fact that I fared well in my three Telugu films, despite having to rely on back-stage promptings, gives me the encouragement to stay on.

Are you going to be Rajnikant’s heroine in his next film?
Rajnikant’s mother-tongue is Marathi, you know. And since I’m a Mumbai girl, I’m fairly comfortable with the language. Whenever we meet, we converse in Marathi, which has given us a measure of kinship. He is an extremely warm and friendly person. When we spoke to each other last, he said we should do a film together. That was only a statement, mind you, not a promise. But I hope I can do a film with him.

Did acting with Rambha in VIP give you a complex, especially since she’s considered a sex symbol and a good dancer?
I’m fairly self-assured, not the kind who’s given to fret over having to work with people who’re more famous than I am. I have danced on stage on several occasions while I was in school, so I wasn’t exactly worried whether I’d fumble or miss my steps. Now, people walk up to me and say I’ve upstaged Rambha, and will soon replace her. I don’t think that’s true. She’s a senior actress, a very good dancer, and I respect her. I don’t think anyone can replace somebody else. There’s room for everyone in films and I don’t believe in the numbers’ game. Sounds cliched? Believe me, I mean it.

Is your sister planning to enter films too?
Well, she certainly is interested in films. She missed a role narrowly recently. I’ve nothing against her becoming an actress. I don’t see any harm in letting her try her luck in films if she wants to.

Now that you’re in great demand in South Indian films, how do you propose to consolidate your position?
I’d like to be realistic about my expectations. The big time for heroines lasts no more than 18 to 24 months these days, and they begin to fade away gradually, thereafter. Then a new girl takes over. So, no thank you! I don’t have any plans for the long term. I’m happy I have some good, meaty roles to get my teeth into, like KT Kunjumon’s Kotteeswaran, with his son Aby as the hero, KS Ravikumar’s Natpukaka with Sarat Kumar, Vali and Aval Varuvala with Ajith and Auto Driver with Nagarjuna. I’d rather concentrate on the films on hand, than worry about the future. I’ll take life as it comes.