NTR, ANR boycotted me: Jamuna

A spacious home in Banjara Hills and the walls in the drawing room are scattered with elegantly framed pictures of the veteran actress. In their deep grey and brown tones, they immediately conjure up an era. Here is Jamuna, in her flush of youth and beauty. She turned 70 recently and is also about to become a granny but age has not dimmed her aura: the brilliance in her eyes and the attractive smile she wears across her lips have survived the ravages of time.

Jamuna is a personification of grace and talent. The actress reigned supreme over Telugu filmdom for twenty five long years and was the quintessence of classic Indian beauty with a truly transcendental appeal. Talk about Jamuna, you are reminded about her arrogance.

She laughs at the allegation, “I come from a conservative family and my parents have instilled strong values in me. Also by nature I’m reserved and short-tempered, people who do not know me would obviously mistake it as arrogance, also by co-incidence most of the roles I portrayed were an extension of the reputation I had..my dignity and self-respect which I guarded fiercely. Actually me and Bhanumati are mostly misunderstood, we never nurtured any crooked thoughts, we were always confident and content”

Her husband Professor Ramana Rao opines, “I think it’s more of the survival thing in a male-dominated industry. I think that façade was important for her and even today don’t we see women putting on a belligerent attitude at the work place to remain safe? I’ve known her always as a simple and a grounded person.”

Jamuna says before her wedding she went to the beach with her husband and her parents and then there she asked him if she could continue to act and told him specifically if he gave her the permission he shouldn’t object to her working in close proximity with her co-stars.

She adds, “My priority was to have a happy married life and was ready to give it all up but I was stumped by his answer. He told me that acting is a god given gift and I could work as long as I want and assured there would never be any misunderstandings on that account.”

Jamuna had everything right going for her, guidance from her parents, good banners and loads of confidence when two stalwarts from the industry NTR and ANR took an exception to working with her. She nods in affirmation, “They boycotted me. Garvishti, pogarubothu, evarni lekka cheyaddhu, sorry cheppaledhu ani anukunnaru.

Every man has an ego and when you are slighted obviously they try to crush you. Later Nagi Reddy, Chakrapani resolved the unpleasant atmosphere. Come on, I came from a village, was young, immature and still didn’t know how to behave with people and there was so much to learn. But I stuck to my decision. Three years I didn’t act, but I never apologized.

Even without big heros all my films with younger actors did very well and the distributors were more than happy. Also the altercation between the three of us triggered a new trend. All these years hero and a heroine would get equal importance in a film but from then onwards we got to see hero-oriented films and heroine-oriented ones too.”

Ask Jamuna about awards and if she feels bad that she hasn’t been given due recognition either by the State or Central governments. Slowly turning the pages of the wedding album of her daughter, she quips, “Naa career ke dhebba kottina rojullo dhehi, give me a role otherwise I will be ruined ani eppudu adagaledhu. Why will I expect an award.

For me the love that people shower on me is the greatest achievement in life. No artiste has ever done the kind of social work I did for the aged artistes. I challenge people to prove me wrong. I will never beg the government for doctorates and titles. Nenu pourusham tho brathikanu.”

About the temporary span of the current heroines, Jamuna opines that the girls are shedding their respect for money. Jyothilakshmi and Jayamalini were such respectable ladies. Chooda mucchataga vundevaaru. There is a clear demarcation between work and personal life. Once they would remove their make up they would wear traditional clothes, deck themselves up with jewellery and would never forget to put flowers in the hair. It’s sad to watch heroines dressing up like vamps even when they are not in front of the camera. So much violence and media influence in the name of globalization, all corrupting the minds. Hyderabad has changed so much, the weather, the people, the attitudes, girls drinking and dancing in pubs all in the guise of development.”