Ibbandhi anedhi manasuku sambandinchinadhi
At her home in Secunderabad, Vanisri is leading a peaceful and a content life. The actress who began her career with Marupurani Katha became a full-fledged heroine in a couple of years and with no competition during her time, utilized the golden opportunity to carve a niche for herself in the Telugu cinema industry.
She says, “The existing heroines announced their retirement, Savitri becam fat, Krishna Kumari and Jamuna got married and around that time devudu naa meedha oka muthyala jallu characters dvaara kurinpinchaadu. Also with every film turning out to be a success, there was no looking back. Kanchana was there but she did her own genre.”
The actress originally Ratna Kumar was rechristened Vanisri by SV Rangarao for his film Sri Vani films. She worked in 14 films a year and 16 hours every day recollects that she never had time to even discuss manchi chedu with her parents and relatives. She adds, “I never knew how I would look without make up. While others had a professional and personal life, my reel life was my real life. Even the jewellery or sarees I bought was worn during shootings because there was no occasion to dress up. I was such a novice, would sign a cheque but never knew how it would be encashed in the bank.”
The actress revealed that the studios was like a reality school where she studied people, her contemporaries and learnt the art of make up on her own. Vanisri says, “I would read a lot of novels and the description of the heroine influenced me and I evolved my own style in dressing and make up. I was the first one to try on different shades of lipsticks, bindis, nail colours that would match the sarees and preferred bright colours, remember that chengavi rangu cheera?
I was averse to the same hair style, knotted bun and a plait with flowers. I bought in novelty by stitching two sarees, putting polka dots on it and wearing black outdoors, would have constant arguments with the art and camera department because they thought it would look gawdy.”
She adds, “VB Rajendra Prasad had immaculate taste, he would select the right colour. I would always ask why a heroine should always look shabby if she is unhappy. Face lo mood thevaale thappa why should she leave her hair and wear crumpled clothes. Ibbandhi anedhi manasuku sambandinchindi.”
Didn’t any hero propose to her? She guffaws, “Never, all the heroes got married, the existing ones probably didn’t have the courage, but I always wanted to marry someone outside the industry and someone who is not already married once. I have seen many actresses who didn’t succeed with second marriages and the characters we played helped us to study society.”
Just like the changes in the surroundings before any impending disaster like tornado or a tsunami, Vanisri says she had an inkling that obscenity was begining to creep into the industry and heroines were being asked to do the roles of a vamp, dress like them. She says, “The hero’s dance movements made me very uncomfortable and it’s then when I realised that Vanisri was not needed anymore in this field.”
The actress has established a school from where around four hundred students have passed out and have become doctors and engineers and at the moment is considering to construct an old age home for senior citizens in the film industry called Adharana and own a mobile theatre to spot talent from various places in Andhra Pradesh.
She signs off, “Whatever a person learns before turning 27, stays with him till his death helping him to sustain his living. I want to provide a platform for those budding youngsters. The industry has given me so much, I want to do something for it.”
