160-film-old, still going strong!

Do you agree that you are now on the threshold of a `third’ phase in yourcareer with Sri Srimathi Satyabamma? What kind of image Satya… willproject?
Yes. I am definitely entering the third phase of my career as I amattempting to throw up a different kind of image with Sri SrimathiSatyabamma. I had no aspirations to become an actress. I was brought intothe industry by my parents, as a child artiste first. Later, I made my debutas a heroine in Telugu film Kiladi Krishnudu. After having enacted thepopular heroine roles with all the stars in 140-odd films, I wanted to go infor a change of image and made Kartavyam. Its stupendous success gave me theangry-young woman image and also fetched me a "hero" status. Audiencesaccepted me in both kinds of roles. Now, I am on the verge of attempting analtogether different image with Satyabamma…. I did a role earlier withsimilar shades in Konte Mogudu Penki Pellam but it was in bits and parts. Inthis film, however, the role is a full-fledged one and basically designed toentertain the viewers. I hope my next film, Aadavichuka, which is due forrelease, will do well since it has come out really well.

When you have decided to discard your avenging-angel image, why are youagain doing a typical action film Vyjayanthi, almost simultaneously withSatyaabama….? Will it not confuse the audience?
I can never think of discarding my `action’ image since it constitutes the`backbone’ of my career. I will continue doing those films in addition toportraying `different’ roles, occasionally. I can’t overnight shift toanother image all of a sudden. I would like to continue doing my regularfilms as I want to go in for a change of image in a `phased’ manner. I playa taxi driver in Vyjayanthi who takes up cudgels against evil-doers. It willbe my kind of film with lavish production values.

You launched your film Satyabamma…. in a grand manner in the presenceof a stalwart like LK Advani. Did you take to film production o have bettercontrol over the project?
I am thankful to LK Advani for making it for the brochure release function.We definitely wanted to launch the film in a big way. I am producing itbecause I didn’t want to gamble with other people’s money as it involvessome kind of `risk’. Earlier, when I decided to go in for a change of imagewith Kartavyam, I produced the film as it was slightly `experimental’ atthat point of time. Now again, I have taken to production for the samereason. I had this idea in my mind right from the day Konte Mogu… wasdeclared a hit but it is only now that I have been able to begin it. WriterSatyanand has worked out the character and also the subject in an effectiveway.

After Osey Ravulamma, you didn’t have big hits. Has it been one of thereasons for you to go in for a new image?
I disagree because films released after Ravullama… like Bharat Ratna and afew others were average grossers which fetched money to the producers andbuyers. They were not flops as you mentioned. When I decided to play`action’ roles I wanted to prove a point to one and all that actresses arecapable of doing many things and not just dance around trees. I hope Iproved it by gaining a "hero" status. I did films which came my way withoutinsistence on novel subjects. I also realised that writers were unable tocome up with convincing storylines for actresses like me whereas they areable to narrate dime a dozen stories wwhich suit the actors. This is one`truth’ I have to live with forever and I stopped cribbing about it longback.

Incidentally, your film Bharat Ratna was about the army operations on theborder and was released immediately after the Kargil war? It would have beena much bigger hit had it been properly promoted. Comment.
It was a mere coincidence that the film dealt with problems in the borderarea and its release immediately after the Kargil war broke out. It wasappreciated by both masses and classes and I am happy about it. I couldn’tlook into the promotion aspect because I left for electioneering immediatelyand I didn’t have time to look into it. It has done very well even inTamil.

The dubbed versions of your Tamil films like Rajasthan lack quality butare raking in money cashing in on your image. Why can’t you do somethingabout it?
If I take up the dubbing rights on my own, I take the utmost care andpromote it properly. But if someone else takes up the rights,we can’t doanything about it. Someone buys the rights and dubs it and later maks a coolprofit by selling it. I would like to do something about it. By the way, mynext Tamil film to be released in Telugu is News. It has done well inTamilnadu.

After a brief hiatus, it seems you will do atleast five films this year.Most of them are being done by seasoned hands. Do you hesitate to work withdebutants?
As I said earlier, the reason for cutting down on my assignments was lack ofproper subjects but surprisingly, from the beginning of this year I amgetting offers of films with good subjects. Apart from these two films I amdoing at present , I have projects with big banners and directors. I feelthat five films will definitely go on floors this year since their subjectshave been `okayed’. Recently, I completed Vandemantaram. It will be releasedin all the four South Indian languages simultaneously. I play a CBI officerin thuis fuilm,which has shaped very well. Right now, I do have films withseasoned directors but I don’t rule out the possibility of working withdebutants if they really come up with exciting ideas. I am open to work withfreshers.

After Eashwar and Tejaswani, you haven’t done many Hindi films. Whathappened to your film with Amitabh Bachchan?
I enjoyed doing those films and I never aspired to become a leading Hindiheroine since I am very comfortably placed down south. My film with AmitabhBachchan is almost complete with only 20 per cent of theshooting left. It isbeing made by S. Ramanathan. I hope it fares well.

You were tipped as a candidate to oppose Mrs Sonia Gandhi if she hadcontested from Cuddapah. You hogged the limelight during the last elections.Are you serious about getting elected to Parliament or will you prefer thesafer route of getting nominated to the Rajya Sabha?
I joined BJP since I liked their policies and also because I wanted a stablegovernment which would last its full 5-year term at the Centre. I didn’tjoin the party seeking any post or power. I would like to be just a partymember forever. The BJP high command decided to pit me against Mrs SoniaGandhi and they asked me to get ready. Since I couldn’t say `no’ to leaderslike Advaniji, I was prepared but she opted for Bellary. I would love to doa lot of social work and help the people who gave me this position. Already,our Yuvasena is doing a very good job. I am busy with my films and I don’thave any intention of stepping into either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.