Remember the innocent young face that took the nation by storm in her Bollywood flick ‘Julie’ in 1975? Well, the lady still has the grace in her and even today her fans love her the way they did all this while. Veteran actor Lakshmi was the chief guest at 59th Belli Hejje programme organized by Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy on Sunday at Gandhi Bhavan. The auditorium was full to the brim. Lakshmi who had the privilege of acting in four South Indian languages was very happy to interact with the audience. She answered various queries without any hesitation in an interaction that lasted more than an hour. She recalled how she made her debut in the tinsel world and how her domestic problems have motivated her to decide to enjoy every second of her life. The following is the interaction with this veteran actress who acted in more than 600 films including 54 Kannada films.
What made you to enter into films and how did it happen?
Everyone enters the tinsel world to earn money apart from the desire of becoming popular. It will call it rubbish if any artiste claims that he/she became an actress or a hero to do service to the art. I became an actress because I wanted to make money. It is Jayaram, a well-known Tamil writer, who introduced me to Tamil film industry with the film Jeevanaamsam. Later, director Bhagawan sir came to my home for my call-sheet to act in Kannada film Govadalli CID 999. Bhagawan sir asked me: “What will you take to act in that film?’’. I told him: “I will take money only’’. Those days I wanted to buy a diamond necklace which costs around Rs 3,000. I got Rs 2,500 remuneration for Tamil film Jeevanaamsam. I expected to get Rs 500 extra for acting in Kannada film.
It is said that you are known for not telling lies but director Bhagawan sir had claimed that you have misled them by claiming that you know swimming. How does it happen?
Yes I lied when Bhagawan sir asked me whether I know swimming. I have to tell the lie because I do not want to miss that opportunity to act in Kannada film. I had to wear a swim suit in Govadalli CID 999 and take a dive into the swimming pool during the shooting of that film. By thinking that it would be easy to swim in the pool, I dived into the pool but did not come up. Later I was rescued by someone at the pool. Director Bhagawan sir was worried when I failed to come up from the pool. He asked me why I did not tell him that I do not know swimming.
You have played a daring character in Chattakkari, a Malayalam film which was later re-made in Hindi as Julie. You have also played a daring role in Kannada film Hoovu Hannu. Were you comfortable while playing such characters? How did your family members react to such characters?
I hesitated a little bit when director Santosh Sethumadhavan told me that I have to wear short skirts. Later I agreed to act in that film when Santosh Sethumadhavan had explained me about the character and the need to wear short skirts. The character in Kannada film Hoovu Hannu was very challenging. I played the character role of a poor widow who delivers a baby and gets into prostitution to make a living. In this film, it was the mother’s struggle to feed her child made me to agree to play that character. The poor widow had no one to look after her and her child. What she will do in such circumstances? I played that character because of the story of that film.
You made debut in Bollywood but failed to act in more Hindi films on par with other language films such as Tamil, Telugu and Kannada or Malayalam. What is the reason?
I made debut in Bollywood with Hindi film Julie which was a huge success at the box-office but could not continue in acting more Hindi films because I could not adjust myself with the working atmosphere in Bollywood. They need more than a year or two to complete a Hindi film. I can complete acting in three to four South Indian films in one year. I was not able to adapt myself with food habits of people in Bollywood. They want to eat parathas and have more tea. I could not eat parathas. I like to have South Indian meal. So, I decided to focus in South Indian films.
Can you recall the unpleasant incidents and pleasant incidents while taking part in shooting?
The pleasant incidents are to have the opportunity to participate shooting at famous temples in Karnataka. I am blessed to have the privilege of spending a lot of time at Mantralaya temple during the shooting of Naa Ninna Bidalaare. Who will have such opportunity? The unpleasant incident is during the shooting of Telugu film Kode Naagu. The producer of that film did not allow me to have breakfast. Its shooting was held near Balamuri Falls. Shoban Babu was in that film. The producer did not allow us to break for lunch even though it was late. It made me angry and walk out of the shooting spot. The nauseating and difficult situation was during the shooting of Kannada film Antha. The scene in that film requires me to hug Ambarish with a blood stained banian. Director Rajendra Singh Babu brought the real blood from a hospital in Mysuru. The particular scene was shot for four days without changing the banian. The thrilling and astonishing incident was when a prisoner winked his eye when I was at the Bengaluru Central Prison on Seshadri Road to participate in the shooting of Kannada film Sedina Hakki. I was shocked and astonished with the audacity of that prisoner.
You have undergone domestic problems. What is your message to women who have similar problems?
There is no point in wasting our time in crying or repenting on domestic problems. We have to live for ourselves. It is true that I too happened crying and repenting for taking such decisions but I realized it is waste doing this at home. I thought it will be good if I utilize that time before the camera which will earn me money and rewards. I am not in a position to advise anyone because all of them are aware what to do. However I want to tell them to enjoy every second of their life because this is the only life we have. So, enjoy every second of your life.
You have acted with Dr Rajkumar and Dr Vishnuvardhan. What is your opinion on them?
Dr Rajkumar is a great personality. There is a lot for us to learn from him. I never happened to see him angry. I used to plead him to get angry but the great personality used to tell me there the necessity to be angry. Dr Vishnuvardhan is a gregarious person. I do not know why he had to exit from this world so early.
