Chiranjeevi intimidated me during shoot, said don’t behave like a junior artist, recalls Suhasini Maniratnam: ‘I am Kamal Haasan’s niece’
Suhasini Maniratnam spoke about how Chiranjeevi intimidated him on a film set till she hit back and said she is Kamal Haasan's niece and knows her job.
Actor Suhasini Maniratnam, wife of director Mani Ratnam and niece of actor Kamal Haasan, has worked with megastar Chiranjeevi in several films, including, Manchu Pallaki (1982), Kirathakudu (1986), Aradhana (1987), and more. During the IFFI 2025 session titled The Luminary Icons: Creative Bonds and Fierce Performances on November 21 with Khushboo Sundar, Suhasini recalled feeling intimidated by him. She also revealed that he asked her to do better during a scene, and he had only seen her as a cameraperson before becoming an actress.
During the session, the duo discussed what intimidates them while shooting. After which, Suhasini recalled being on a huge film set with Chiranjeevi. “One thing that intimidates me is the typical film set, the Vijaya Vauhini set. It was scary, because they say silence and everybody goes silent, you don’t know what to do. You kind of forget and you become paralysed. I was a cinematographer and I didn’t know acting, I learnt it slowly on the job,” she shared.
The 64-year-old continued, “I was playing a slightly comical role in a Telugu film. I go and pretend to be a maid inside the hero’s house. Six of us were there in the scene, each one of them was talking. I was standing behind the chair, I had no dialogue. Every time somebody said something, I gave a reaction without saying anything.”
She revealed that the Godfather actor asked her to act like the main lead, instead of a junior artist. “Suddenly, Chiranjeevi looked at me and asked, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘Acting’. He said, ‘You are the heroine of the film, you aren’t a junior artist’. Because usually, this is how the junior artists are taught, to react, not stand still. That is what you learn in commercial films.”
Suhasini Maniratnam also recalled another interesting anecdote with the megastar to explain the acting term ‘double take’ to the audience. “I was doing my first Telugu film and I was supposed to be doing a rangoli. And then, Chiranjeevi comes and stands, and I gradually look at him and say, ‘Oh you are watching me’. He saw me as a camera assistant for a previous film. And now, the girl behind the camera was his heroine, he couldn’t even digest that. A girl who was putting reflector for him was his heroine, he even says that today,” she shared, mentioning how Chiranjeevi couldn’t imagine her as his female lead.
The actor then boasted a bit about the fact that she is superstar Kamal Haasan’s niece and her acting skills shouldn’t be taken lightly. “When we were doing the rehearsal, he came and said in my ear, ‘You can’t suddenly look at me, you have to look at me casually and say something’. I am Kamal Haasan’s niece, you forgot that? I grew up with an actor in my house. I did the scene naturally then and he said, ‘Donga Pilla’, which means thief, he basically meant I know my job. That’s a delayed reaction, which is a part of double take,” she concluded.
Navya Kharbanda is an Entertainment Journalist and Cinematic Commentator at The Indian Express, where she specializes in bridging the gap between classic Bollywood heritage and contemporary Gen-Z perspectives. Her work is characterized by a blend of nostalgia-driven analysis and on-the-ground reporting from major film festivals and industry events.
Experience & Professional Background
Navya is a prominent voice on The Indian Express entertainment desk, known for her ability to secure candid interviews with both legendary veterans and rising stars. Her career highlights include:
The Indian Express: Covers a wide range of topics from high-stakes box office analysis to in-depth celebrity profiles. She is a regular at major events like the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
SCREEN Interviews: Navya has conducted a series of "exclusive conversations" for SCREEN, featuring industry stalwarts like Anupam Kher, Vishal Bhardwaj, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and Suhasini Maniratnam.
Archival Reporting: She is noted for her sensitive handling of archival interviews and retrospectives, recently covering the legacy of late superstar Dharmendra and the career reflections of the late Satish Shah.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Navya’s beat is uniquely defined by her "Gen-Z Revisit" series, where she re-evaluates cult classics through a modern lens. Her core areas of expertise include:
Cinematic Retrospectives: Analyzing 80s and 90s landmarks like Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, and Mohabbatein to explore how themes of romance and rebellion resonate with today’s youth.
Industry Insights: Tracking the career resurgences of actors (e.g., Akshaye Khanna) and the evolving dynamics of film production and distribution in the OTT era.
On-Set Dynamics: Reporting on behind-the-scenes stories from major productions, ranging from the technical challenges of Mirzapur: The Film to the work ethics of superstars like Shah Rukh Khan.
South Indian Cinema: Expanding her coverage to include the impact of regional icons and the rise of pan-Indian fantasy epics like Magadheera.
Authoritativeness & Trust
Navya Kharbanda has established her authority by consistently providing "Journalism of Courage" in the entertainment sphere. Whether she is interrogating the sexism in patriarchal classics or reporting on the fair-pay debates at international film festivals, her work prioritizes factual accuracy and critical objectivity. Her ability to synthesize deep industry history with modern audience trends makes her a trusted source for readers seeking both entertainment news and thoughtful cultural commentary. ... Read More
