Vani Sri

Vani Sri is the diva of Golden Telugu cinema. She joined the winning Congress Party before elections and campaigned in places like Nizamabad and Vizag. She held press meet today (26th May) to share her happiness with press. Here are the excerpts of the chitchat

Why did you choose politics as your new career?
I am admirer of Indira Gandhi. As an actor I liked her charming walking style. Jalagam Vengal Rao is a close family friend of us and I met Indira Gandhi through Jalagam Vengala Rao. I am thoroughly following the politics for the past 5-6 years. My kids are into higher studies now. My daughter is doing her MS and my son is into MBBS. I got enough free time. Hence I joined that party of my liking Congress to serve the people. I flourished in whatever career I have chosen so far. I am feeling lucky that Congress won so many seats after joined the party.

Every politician wants to have power and aims for certain positions in public office. What are you expecting from Congress Party?
I have no positions in my mind when I joined Congress. They offered me ticket to contest for MLA, but I refused.

Would you accept it if you are position like Chairman of FDC (Film Development Corporation) or Electronic Media advisor?
I am a woman of self respect. I do not ask for any positions. If they offer me anything, I would accept it humbly.

When one woman (Sonia Gandhi) wants to become PM, another woman (Sushma Swaraj) vowed to tonsure her head? Is it a fair fight between two women? What is your stand on that??
If you tonsure your head, you would get your hair again. And if you tonsure your head in Tirupati, you would get punyam as well. Ask sushma Swaraj to sacrifice something which she can never get back!

Our CM says that one must retire from politics after reaching 60. How many more years would it take for you to reach sixty?
Are you asking my age? It would take 7 more years to reach sixty. I guess there is no age bar when it comes to acting. Nageswara Rao garu acted even when he is 80.

When the entire Telugu film industry shifted to Hyderabad, you continued your stay in Madras. Why is it so?
The government invited others and offered free sites to those who shifted to Hyderabad. Nobody has invited me to Hyderabad.

You have been in film and political industry. Which politics are dangerous?
Politics are everywhere. When four men meet, there are politics. When two women meet, there are politics as well.

What do you think is the essential quality for a politician?
One should be a good orator. One should be able to explain to people what his vision in. I like Chidambaram, Rama Krishna Hegde and VP Singh when it comes to oratory skills.

What are the films you are doing currently?
I am doing the role of arrogant aunt to hero in 'Bhadradi Ramudu' film.

Bhumika Chawla

Bhumika Chawla entered in Telugu film industry in the year 2000 with the film Yuvakudu. She is balancing her career with commercial blockbusters like Kushi, Okkadu, Simhadri and class films like Missamma and Anasuya. Her latest film Swagatam is releasing on 25 January. Here is our eclusive interview with Bhumika Chawla

Tell us about your character in Swagatam film?

I am doing the role of Jalaja Rao who is a funny, witty and hilarious lady. She is a person who loves to live each day to the fullest. She is also very courageous.

How different is it from your earlier films?

I always try not to repeat my character because I get bored very fast. If you look at my past three films, Anasuya was a thriller. Satyabhama was a comedy and Maya Bazaar was a fantasy. Swagatam is a family entertainer.

Tell us about the team of Swagatam?

Jagapati Babu: He is a wonderful person to work with. He is quite unlike the guys with hero image. He is a simple and a down to earth person. Since he is also one of the producers, he made us and the technicians very comfortable on the sets. He is a good actor and a great producer to work with.

Dasarath: He is really a nice guy to work with. He is quite and calm. He does not stress people on the sets. He is also technically very good.

Anushka: I am working with her for the first time. She is quite funny and is always smiling. She is a good actor, though I did not have many scenes in her combination.

Shwetha Basu Prasad 2

With her naughty mannerisms … Eekada? (For Ekkkada) & ayyabaaboi nuvvala anaku naaku edholaa vundhi in Kotha Bangaru Lokam, the 17-year-old Shwetha Basu Prasad has become the naya heartthrob of our Inter and (degree) guys all over Andhra Pradesh. She is strikingly talkative, giving a fine expression of herself, her career and options in private life. Born to a UP father and Bengali mother, she truly reflects the cosmopolitan outlook of the new generation teens. She has the guts to say that she blind-dated

guy. With KBL making a clean sweep of the theatres, the girl stands at the vantage point… say a hotcake for the filmmakers in Tollywood. In an exclusive interview to Idlebrain.com, she reveals that: “I am not Swapna of KBL in real life. But, quite opposite to the character.” Excerpts:

Mamata Mohandas

Even two years after making her debut into Tollywood (first as singer, followed by as an actress), the solo-heroine dream continues to evade this Kerala Kutty. Leave alone the drawbacks. Anyways, Mamata Mohandas became an instant celebrity with the click of the title song in NTR-Krishnavamsi starrer Raakhi in 2006. Then, she secured her image with Aakalesthe Annam Pedatha song in Megastar Shankar Dada Zindabad. Giving a new twist to her songster career, Mamata made her debut as an actress in Yamadonga, a much-hyped film of SS Rajamouli with NTR. Later, she donned a negative role (not considered by many as heroine) in the film Krishnarjuna. Now, Mamata gets ready once again as the second fiddle in Victory Venkatesh ready for release film "Chintakayala Ravi". For this Kerala NRI from Bahrain, "Tollywood is a land of creativity and opportunities for the talented artistes. There are heroines who had even played the third fiddle before becoming heartthrobs. I am not here for an image, but for a serious career to prove my talents," she says in an exclusive interview to Idlebrain.com. Interestingly, the girl wields a deeper understanding of the Indian film industry in general.

Happy days

Why did you accept Vinayakudu film?
I accepted the Vinayakudu film in March 2008. I liked the script. It is an urbane story with interesting style of characterizations. It has an off-beat storyline and gripping narrative style.

How do you compare your Shrav's character in Happy Days with the one in Vinayakudu?
In the Happy Days film, I did not have many dialogues. I had to convey through expressions. But my role in Vinayakudu is very different. I come across like a very talkative girl in this film. I did a college girl character in Happy Days and I am playing the role of a working woman in Vinayakudu. I am daddy's girl in Vinayakudu who is ambitious and pursue whatever she wants.

How different is Sai Kiran Adivi compared to Sekhar Kammula?
Sai Kiran inherited patience from Sekhar Kammula. Both of them have loads of patience and explain us what they want. I have lots of respect and awe for Sekhar Kammula and my relationship with Sekhar Kammula is more like that of student and teacher. Sai Kiran is like a friend to me and I have more freedom on the sets with him.

Singer Usha

"Singer" became her prefix even before she rendered her first song for films. Making foray into the hearts of Andhra Pradesh audience through music talent search programs, this door-next girl captivated the hearts of Telugu film music lovers across the world with her mellifluous and talented singing. Awards and chartbusters followed and she became the most sought after singer of her generation. At the peak of her career, she married and left to the USA but her passion of "singing" is bringing her back to India regularly. She is none other than "Singer Usha".

Usha was in India during summer 2008 to don the role of a judge for Zee Telugu's saregamapa. Idlebrain.com wanted to catch up for an interview but owing to a sudden change in her travel schedule to USA, we called in for a telephone interview. Here are the excerpts:

Surekha Vani

You need to have a big heart for enacting roles which don’t suit your age on the celluloid. In this hypocritical glamour world, a lady artiste, from the low-rung to a top heroine, will never disclose her age and do not hesitate to reduce the original figure by not less than 10 years. At this juncture, “Chitti Naidu’s mom in Ready” Surekha Vani, a busy character artiste frankly admits that: “Yes. I look older than I look on the screen. I am never after glamour roles, but I want to have a very long career in the industry. Of late, I got opportunities to do solo-heroine roles, but I didn’t show much interest. The so-called craze for heroines is limited to a few years. But, I believe, as a character artiste I will have longevity.” This actress, still in her late twenties, says without any remorse. “Recently, a director repeatedly requested me to play mother role to a young hero. Am I that old? I thought for a while, but didn’t get angry. This is the way of the world. After all, films are business.” An exclusive interview with her: