Interview : Bhanupriya

BhanuPriya.
Those who saw the films of Sitara, Anveshana, Swarnakamalam, Peoples encounter can never forget this dusky beauty from south. She got success with her first film and never turned back. Recently when I got to know that she is in LA I tried various ways to locate her. And finally I spoke to her. The way she spoke to me is amazing. She is very down to earth and agreed to speak to me with a short notice. I am really surprised with her great down to earth attitude. And my respect to her increased more after our interview. Even though I unsettled her with my questions she replied them with much patience. Here are the experts from the interview.

Sri: Can you tell me something about your childhood. As I know you came from Madras. Are you a Telugu girl or a Tamil girl?
Bhanupriya: I am a Telugu girl. Born in Rajamundry and at the age of two my mother moved to Madras. So I was brought up in Madras. Learned dance at Sundaram master.

Sri: So who your came into films with a no connections to the film land.
Bhanupriya: When I was in school Bhagyaraja garu once came to the school to select a girl for his movie. He wants someone good at dance and to do a role of teenage girl. I was selected and then after a photo shoot he said I was too young for the role and may be one year he has to wait for me for that film. I was devastated. I already said to all my friends I am acting in films. So I never went back the school again. Seeing that photo Bharatiraja garu gave me chance in man Pasiyadu a Tamil film. The film�s meaning is talk slowly. When I was doing that film I got chance in vamsy gari film �sitara� and also chadarangam with naresh. But it is sitara which released first and it went on to became a big hit and got me a many awards including best regional film in national level. After that film I acted with almost all hero�s except with NTR.

Sri: Is that is your real name or you changed for the screen?
Bhanupriya: My actual name was Bhanu. As it is simple they changed to Bhanupriya according the star and other things.

Sri: So how is your working with the Vamsi garu. We are maintaining a site called www.vamsy.net. So if you can tell about your experience with his films it would be good.
Bhanupriya: He is a perfectionist. I did four films with him and all are very good films. When I initially joined films I am not aware of the angles nor the movements or anything on the expression side. I know only the dance expressions. He taught me that dance expressions are different from acting expressions. And he was very patient with me on that.

Sri: Then how about your Tamil films? I think you also did some Tamil films like gokulathali sita etc.
Bhanupriya: yes I did many films in Tamil also. I think I almost did 40 Tamil films. I did with almost all top heroes there.

Sri: When you are going well in Telugu and Tamil why you did not want to go to Hindi?
Bhanupriya: How do we know if we won�t try. See every one wants to make it big. It is a national level recognition if we act in North. I tried and did some good movies like bhabhi etc. but the timing might have not worked for me there. I did with good actors at that time. But it didn�t worked due to various reasons.

Sri: I think you earlier used dubbing for some of the films later you started doing your own dubbing.
Bhanupriya: Initially laxmi garu, saritha garu dubbed me for couple of films. But with anveshana I started dubbing my own voice for my films.

Sri: But I think your voice was dubbed for the film peoples encounter.
Bhanupriya: That time I had problems with dates, as I was doing films in Hindi and the film release date was announced so the producers went with sarita gari voice for that film.

Sri: How is your sister Nishanti doing. I think she is married to Shantaram gari grand son.
Bhanupriya: She is fine. Yes she married to him and has two sons. She sometimes comes to madras and visits us often.

Sri: I remember she also changed her name for the screen.
Bhanupriya: Yes her name is shanthi. Then named as nishanti in one film. Later as it doesn't sound good they changed as shanthipriya. While doing a Hindi film she fell in love with him and got married and settled.

Sri: I think saugandh the first film of akshay is also her first film in Hindi.
Bhanupriya: yes. Later she did some more in Hindi. But never really tried in the field. So she married.

Sri: How did your marriage happen? Is it a love marriage? Heard Sri Adarsh parents are against your marriage initially?
Bhanupriya: They are looking for matches to me. So through a common friend we met in Madras. We liked each other. Then there are talks on phones, as he is in USA and I am in Madras. Once I came here and we understood each other then I agreed for marriage. My parents are little against to this as he is in USA. But my in-laws are good and never objected for the marriage.

Sri: So how did your life changed after the marriage?
Bhanupriya: Life definitely changed a lot. But it is inevitable isn�t it. And I am happy with my life. At certain point of life you need to get settled and like to have a life of you own and that is what I got. So I am happy with it.

Sri: No I mean the life here is different from the life in India. As you have to do all your work not depending on others like we do in India.
Bhanupriya: My mother bought up is in a down to earth attitude. We never had any hang-ups. So I am pretty much normal here as well as in India. No there is much of a difference in that. I am doing my duties as wife and daughter-in-law as I am supposed to do in a normal life. I never had that I am star attitude. I am an actor and that is one profession.

Sri: so after getting married and getting settled down why did you want to start you second innings.
Bhanupriya: I never said I will quit acting after the marriage. It is my profession like any other profession. I just took some break after marriage and pregnancy. Now I have a beautiful daughter and after some time I will acting again may not be right now as she needs my care at present. I will never leave it.

Sri: Isn�t it hard that you being there in Madras and he being in USA. How can you manage both?
Bhanupriya: Yes it is sometimes. But we need to adjust. Some times he comes to Madras, depending on his vacation. And some times I come here depending on my shootings and other schedules. But we cannot get all in the life. We need the adjustments.

Sri: You did some awful movies in your second innings. Like Feb 14th necklace road. Why?
Bhanupriya: I did some awe full movies before also. This particular film I did for the Suman garu. He is my first Telugu hero and once he requested me I did a special appearance role for him. Even amitab garu also does the guest roles sometimes. So what is wrong in that.
Yes I agree we did some films of no importance. But I cannot get a swarnakamalam or sitara every day. If I want only those films I might have done may be four or five films in my carrier. I need to survive in the industry. And also meanwhile I need to make some money in that process. So I did many commercial films. You cannot get swarnakamalam all the time.
People still remember me with that film for long time. That is the definitely one of my best films.

Sri: Recently I saw peoples encounter your action in the climax is good.
Bhanupriya: That is directed by Mohan Gandhi garu. That is good film. He is a good director. We did the shooting in front of the assembly at that time. But now a days we are not doing such films, as people are not seeing. Those days are gone. Though Soundarya tried in some films which are not commercial hits. The trend has changed now.

Sri: We saw recently your lahiri lahiri lo. That is a good hit film. As it is announced as all Andhra film (Achatenugu chitram) but Udit and Shankar singing the songs, how is it justified?
Bhanupriya: Ask chowdhury garu that. Not me. You can express your views to him. He is talented and good nature person. You can talk to him. They are the hit singers. So what is the problem.

Sri: Problem is the guys who are singing don�t know the meaning and pronunciations of the language and which makes us wonder what they are up. They are killing the music of the films.
Bhanupriya: If you feel that way you should talk to the directors of the films and music directors who can take extra care so that it will be good for the film. There are a lot of talented young artists coming now a days.

Sri: So what you think of the current trend.
Bhanupriya: There is nothing like a trend. If the film is good and entertaining people will love it. It is a circle. Some times action films click and some time's family films. It all depends on the director who can handle the film with the right ingredients.

Sri: How many dance directors are there in the Swarnakamalam?
Bhanupriya: six dance directors for that film.

Sri: Did you worked with Sharon loven also for the dance sequence.
Bhanupriya: She is a great dancer. We didn�t work much on the dance part. Her dance was shot entirely on her. I don�t have any part of that.

Sri: So how is working with the viswhanath garu?
Bhanupriya: Till today every one talks about that movie. So you can imagine what will be my experience. He is a perfectionist and never gets compromised. He acts and shows what he wants from the artist. Never gets angry with any one. He is having lot of patience. He is so best I cannot tell�.

Sri: I heard that you did some serials in Telugu/tamil in TV.
Bhanupriya: I have not done any Telugu serials. I did only two Tamil serials. And they are being dubbed in Telugu. They are good hits in Tamil. So they dubbed in Telugu.

Sri: I think you worked with Jandhyala garu on your 100th film shh.gupchup. What is your experience with him? (She also worked with him earlier on Mogudu pellalu)
Bhanupriya: Working with Jandhyala garu is wonderful. He never used to make me feel that he is a big director, like he was never strict. And always used to joke around and make us that shooting was a picnic and not some strict rules. It is sad that he died at so young age. His comedy was very healthy and natural. He never used any double meaning dialogues. I felt very bad when I heard about his heart attack. He has two twin daughters. They are very small. I feel very sorry for them.

Sri: what are your future plans?
Bhanupriya: I will definitely will continue with my profession. There is no doubt about that. Right now it is our baby who needs care. So I am looking at her now. Once she is little older and when I think I can manage my profession with her then I will return to my acting profession. Until then she is my priority.

Sri: Won�t it be difficult?
Bhanupriya: If you think something is difficult it will always be difficult. You should have will power to do that then it will be easy. See there are so many working mothers who are doing this. Why it is different to me. It will be the same. And I can do that.

Kalayan Ram interview

• Home is the best place in my life, there is no place of interest or source of joy than �my home� in the entire world


• Life is very short just like an ice cream, enjoy it before it melts.


• Tollywood is the best of all the WOODS


• In Abimanyu, the hero being cornered from all the sides, and comes out successfully in an interesting & unique manner


• My dream role is similar to that of tatagaru�s role in Kanyasulkam a totally hilarious role an out right comedy


• Marriage should be based on understanding but never a compromise.
  says Nandamuri Kalyan Ram the young software engineer-turned actor of tollywood, whose second film Abimanyu scheduled to release on 12th November.

The traditionalist star totally untouched by the western culture expressed some of his views to Telugu cinema.com in an interview on this occasion.
Some of the excerpts from the interview:

Could you just brief your academic background?
Studied in Hyderabad till my seventh standard in St. Pauls High School, after that in Vijaywada and Guntur upto my plus two. In BITS Pilani (for a very short period) B.Tech computers in Coimbatore. MS in Computer science in IIT (Illinois Institute of Technology) in Chicago (2000-20002). A four-week Crash Course in New York Film Academy.

What made your entry into films?
Naturally my family background. I was interested in films since my childhood.

Your association with the legendary NTR?
I was just a kid and in respect of my association with tata garu. I was always an admirer of the legandary�s films especially the black and whites.

There is a general notion that Rama Rao garu used to be very strict towards his sons, did you experience the same thing with Harikrishna garu?

No, not at all, Naana garu was never strict, he just use to tell us that we have to always remember our family prestige. He left us absolutely free, and of course we are always in our limits. Even now Naana garu is my guide & philosopher.

Your first entry into the industry?
As a child Artiste I had enjoyed acting in Balagopaludu. Infact babai (Balakrishna) encouraged me to act in that movie. It is an unforgettable experience. I can never forget the affection showed by him at the time of shooting.

Then why there is such a long gap in your film career?
Yes, there is a long gap. I did not act after Balagopaludu. Nanna garu and other family members wanted me to pursue my studies and I went on with my studies to complete my Masters in computers.

Being the first Postgraduate from the Nandamuri family what are your feelings on your academic life?
Happy indeed, as education is very important in one�s life and if we observe, each & every individual is first identified by his academic excellence rather than his wealth and other material matters.

How about your life in US?
Different from the Indian life in respect of culture, here we include even our neighborhood as our family members.
Where as in US such bondage is missing, however in certain families surprisingly even in United States the affections & family bondage prevails just like us.
Let me illustrate this, I felt extremely happy & moved when one of my American colleagues took an off for to receive his mother who came to Chicago and spent with her the entire day showing all the important places in the city. Though the affections are universal, our culture has more space in this particular aspect.
Life in US is not at all a bed of roses, as people here generally think, the life is so hard and one has to struggle to cope with the life.

How far the course in New York film Academy helped you in your Tollywood performance?
My association with the New York film Academy definitely helped me in enhancing my knowledge. The entire course in just practical oriented, and I wish every body who is really interested in acting should undergo that course.
That was really an excellent training ground for my film career, the course was framed to bring out the hidden talents within one self. Not just action skills, but also the hardships faced by the technicians in the industry were explained to give an over all grip (understanding) over the film industry.

Any information regarding Abimanyu?
The Film Abimanyu has been completed within 63 days. It is totally a different movie from my first film Tholichoopulonee.
Some of the highlights of the movie are:
The Hero being cornered from all the sides, and comes out successfully in an interesting & unique manner.
The mother sentiment has been pictured in an excellent manner.
Heroine Spandana worked hard to give her own dubbing.
Your comment on the present trend of importing non-telugu speaking girls as heroines?
It would be always better If we have telugu speaking girls as heroines as the communication and action will become easier.
But our traditional & conventional outlook is blocking their entry into the industry.

How do you explain Tollywood?
Tollywood is the best of all the WOODS.
This is the most successful wood of all the woods even than Hollywood. Since 1996 the activity of Telugu films in US moved very fast and now since 2002 direct releases made the Industry more popular and extended it into international market.
But coming to the functioning of the industry it has its own minus points, the industry is not well organised. Especially when it comes to the aspect of punctuality.
It is a real sorry state of affairs that one has to wait for the shot to be started even after two hours of the scheduled time sometimes.

How do you rate your position in Tollywood?
I am just in my first step of the career. A very very long way to go to achieve the goal.

Who is your favorite Director?
I have favorite films from different directors rather than a favorite director in particular
Maniratnam: Gharshana & Dalapathi
Krishna Vamsi;NennePelladataa & Gulabi
VV Vinayak: Adi & Chenna Kesava Reddy
Vijaya Bhaskar : Nuvvu Naaku Nachhavu
Special credit to Raghavendra rao garu who made the latest film like gangotri even in this trend.

Who is your favourate actor/actress?
Actors: Each & every hero has his own style of performing.
Actress: Savitri garu. In the present trend it is very difficult to judge because we hardly see the same heroine for the next film.

What type of movies do you like?
Basically family entertainers, so that one can forget all the worries at least two hrs in the theatre. Violence, too much of sentiments make the audience disinterested in films.

What about Multi-starers?
Multi-starers is definitely a welcome feature but not that practical in the Tollywood with very strong associations of fans.

What about your next venture? Do you have any dream role?
My next venture is almost ready and to be announced with in a week�s time.
My dream role is similar to that of tatagaru�s role in Kanyasulkam a totally hilarious role an out right comedy.

After achieving the academic success and now started your film career, what are your plans of your personal life?
Marriage should be based on understanding but never a compromise. If it starts with a compromise it will not last long. Mutual understanding makes marriage successful.

Your concept of life?
Life is very short just like an ice cream, enjoy it before it melts. One should always have a positive outlook in life.

Your favorite picnic spot?
My daily routine is from 4.30 to 8.30. The schedule will not be disturbed except when I have my movie schedules. I will have dinner with the family members and go to sleep by 8.30.
No late night pubs at all. That is why some of my friends make fun of me, but Home is the best place in my life, there is no place of interest or source of joy than �my home� in the entire world. My Home is everything for me.

So, telugucinema.com wishes the star all success in achieving his dream success in his career & life.

This was Kalyanram's first interview on web. The interview was taken before the release of his first film Abumanyu

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