Sitting in the last row at the Taj Residency, with her two daughters and watching the launch of Satyameva Jayate is Geeta. She is India’s first woman sound engineer. A consummate professional, Geeta as a sound recordist has worked for over 600 films. So what is Geeta’s job?  Basically convincing the listener that what they are hearing is real, she laughs and says, “well that’s not as simple as it sounds.”

Geeta was born and brought up in Chandrapur, Maharashtra but she did her schooling and higher secondary in Bangalore. Her father who was a civil engineer goaded her to take up the three year in Sound Engineering at the Sri Jai Charmarajendra Polytechnique because he wasn’t sure about his daughter getting a good rank in engineering. Geeta had seven other girls doing the diploma but none of them have taken the sound field as a career and opted for broadcasting companies. Was it easy getting a break after her academics? Geeta says the course helped her a lot in getting a first hand knowledge of sound recording and processing and thereafter went on a technical tour in the metros to meet the seniors. One can choose to work in films, in a TV tower, as a spot recorder, BPOs, shows, live events etc she adds.

Her first stint was as an apprentice at Saket Electronics, a recording studio owned by Shankar Nag. She had learnt all the aspects of post production work of kannada films and then joined Lahari Recording Company as a sound recordist, they had apparently opened a recording studio at Bangalore. But what are the pre-requisites to be a sound engineer? Geeta replies emphatically, “one should love music,  should be creative, ears should be tuned to the sound i.e one should have a passion for sound.”

She admits that she has to put in as many as 12 hours a day and sometimes she doesn’t get home until 2 am. How long does the post production work take? She adds, “It differs from film to film. The sound effects, background score, final mix and lab processing takes on an average 2 months, sometimes some finish it in one month. Aamir Khan and Maniratnam take around 3 months to complete. The dubbing of Dil Se had taken one month and the background score of Satya took 25 days. I’ve done the background mixing of Dasavataram, the post production went on for 2 months. It is not a clerical job, one should have passion to get it all right.

Geeta  is currently with the Real Images, she’s been here for 15 years and Real Images  is the first studio to start digital recording in India. She is happy that  of late lot of avenues and mass communication institutes opening up for girls who want to explore sound but laments that there is no single coaching institute in Andhra Pradesh for technicians an dthat producers are importing technicians from Chennai and Mumbai,  it despite being the largest producer of films and that too big budget films .

The lady is married to musician and music director S. Chinna whom she met a recording studio when he worked for Raj Koti. She is a Kannadiga, he is from Andhra.  They understand each other well and help each other in balancing their lives. She says, “It was tough when I had my first daughter but later everything fell in place. He plays music and I record and mix it for him.” Geeta was amongst the all women team headed by Revati when they did Mitr in the US. Now she is working with Jeevita and says that women make terrific technicians. Your wave length is the same, co-ordination is easy and one can move along freely.

The best compliment Geeta says was from music director Chakravarty  who in 1990 at Prasad’s recording studio remarked that  it was the best thing in his career to spot a woman working in a recording studio. A defining moment indeed for Geeta who has made her mark in the male dominated industry….

“I’m from a talent hunt by ‘Zee cine stars ki khoj’,” says the beautiful and simple Shraddha. The young lady is starring in director Kodandarami Reddy’s son Vaibhav’s launch film Godava. Just like her name Shraddha, she is devoted, also earnest, enthusiastic and excited about the project. In a chat Shraddha talks on how she got into films and more.

“The Zee guys came to Delhi and I had just finished the final year exams and gave the audition. I did it for fun and won the competition from Delhi and the first runner up from all over India. Though I had this fetish for acting, dancing and all this nautanki I never ever thought of taking a step forward to get into the glam world. Life has been so unpredictable. I had taken commerce in school, arts in college and now I’m in the movies.”

A grad in Economics Honours, Shraddha says her parents were very supportive of her decision in choosing this line. She says, “Initially I had a trouble speaking and understanding Telugu, I would always wonder if I would get the expression right while speaking a different language.

Fortunately for me it never went out of focus and I enjoyed the work so much that eventually started feeling like one jadoogar when I got it all right.” Shradhha made her debut in films with Nishabd and says she treasures those moments. She adds, “In that film I played Mr. Bachchan’s daughter.

It was a beautiful experience working with Mr. Bachchan and Revati. The entire shooting was like a work shop, I’ve grown a lot. Nishabd probably didn’t work because people came with a mindset that this one will have a happy ending and I guess they were disappointed. It was a different concept and moreover love can happen anytime. You will see a better version of Shraddha this time in Godava.”

Just not Bachchan she had worked with the Junior Bachchan too in the Motorola advertisement and also the LG Washing Machine commercial. There was one more with Hrithik in Coke and Minisha Lamba in the TVS ad. So has Shraddha forgotton the Hindi film industry? “Not really, I’m just waiting for the right film to fall in the right league.

Meanwhile I am putting in lot of effort for my Telugu film and I’m confident about my success in the south. I’m playing a gregarious character.” Hasn’t Shradhha lost a lot of weight? She says, “Yep, a bit. I was under a misconception that south filmmakers prefer ample bossomed heroines but it’s changing here.

Whenever I look a bit chubby, my director tells me that I need to watch out. Don’t we have Ileana, Shriya and Genelia? They are all slim, so being slim doesn’t only make you feel good but keeps you afloat in the race.”

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.”

No one does it better - sending you into fits of laughter with deadpan humour and quietly walk away from the scene. After wowing audiences in Pokiri, Desamuduru, Ali is all set to don a hero’s role once more in Tinnama Padukunnama Tellarindha. In a free wheeling chat, the comedian who has an upward of 800 films to his credit in a career spanning 30 years says he is dying to do roles that excite and unnerve him.

Born and brought up in Rajahmundry, Ali says he gave up studies in school to take up films as his father wanted him to become an artist. He says, “My father was an accomplished tailor and would stitch costumes for classical dancers and circus artistes. I remember people would come from America to get costumes stitched by him. He would work hard in the mornings and would relax in the evenings by going to the circus. It was then he wished that I did something other than the ordinary. I saw Sholay in 1975 and the character Gabbar Singh inspired me to join showbiz. It was a long struggle of fourteen years to gain recognition.”

Ali is playing a character interested in gender transformation in the forthcoming film Chirutha. Hasn’t he done this role umpteen times? He says, “I have played a woman in about 35 films so far. As an artiste I have no reservations about the roles I portray, be it a man, woman or a eunuch. There are people who pay money and join films to get name, fame whatever. Here I’m getting paid for doing all this so why should that bother me? I have moreover observed and studied a woman’s behaviour for a long time, the way they walk, talk and react. Many people can do such roles but they are few who can make us do it properly. I think I suit such roles the best because I am slim and I have dimpled cheeks.”

Ali’s first film was Punaadi Raallu and eversince he had made Hyderabad his home. Tell him that he speaks impeccable telugu, he gives the credit to his native place. He adds, “Anyone who drinks a glass of water from Godavari can speak fluent telugu. Yes, people keep asking me if I have learnt acting and dancing in an institute and someone even asked me if I belong to a Brahmin family because my Telugu is so good.”

Ali works round the clock, is he fasting this holy month? He says, “In our home right from an eight year old girl to an old person everyone observes Roza. I don’t because of  my shootings. God never asked us to observe fast and pray five times daily during Ramzaan. Actually this one month of fasting is a show of gratitude to God for giving this maanava janma. Bakthi is not an outward show, it a relation between you and your God..”

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.”

When the lights go off in a movie hall, all a moviegoer looks forward to is a captivating story to unfold on screen. And if the mesmerizing story has the backing of an efficient narrator, it only proves to be an icing on the cake. Also if the story is backed with a producer who is uncomprising on his values then there is nothing more to ask for.

For Lagdapati Sridhar, films have been a passion from childhood. He always had nurtured a dream of being a producer and says he remembers being very firm on that, “Those days I did’nt realise what the role of a producer is, what it is about having a total control but I knew I would one day make movies.”

He adds, “Films are like vitamins for me. I want to watch the film and share that joy with everyone. There can’t be more to happiness than watching and enjoying an entertaining film with the family that is clean and wholesome.”

Then what about Evadi Gola Vadidi, isn’t it laced with double meaning dialogues? “People do say there are double meaning dialogues but I beg to differ. It’s all in the mind. Humour can be viewed in various angles. A child sees it in a different way and an adult with a totally different perspective. Adults understand only adult humour. My child watched the film 65 times, and if you ask any child they will say Evadigola will figure amongst the top five favourite films.”

Sridhar’s wife Sireesha  who is the producer of Larsco Films says, “Sometimes when we both are watching a film, I laugh at a joke then again he looks at me asking if I had understood that. But still I haven’t thought that deep, because the first instance was enough to make me laugh. On the whole the idea is to have fun.”

Sridhar continues, “EVV has his own mark, my mark is stamped with style. He’s made wonderful movies, but we had to tell him to tone down, he had to an extent. He has done justice to it and gave a wonderful output.”

“Cinema is synonymous with relaxation, it makes me forget everything. I always give importance to the people and try to understand what tickles them, what makes them happy. I look at the analysis of all the hit films in the last five years, and co-relate, what kind of movie is it, in which genre it falls into..are the people accepting it and enjoying and finally I like to increase the benchmark and give it a valid vision, give it a grandeur, add value, make it presentable.”

Talking about Viyyalavari Kayyalu, Sridhar says, “There is definitely an inspiration for this film and the film is for all those who want to see love stories have a happy ending. It’s about sacrifices and acceptance. Parents always wish well for their children and they are willing to go that extra mile to make them happy, so it’s a battle for lovely life.”

A beautiful face, a captivating smile and most vital of all a chirpy and crisp voice. That’s Kajal for you. She never speaks in a measured tone but the articulate and spontaneous voice rings with hope and confidence. The actress has made it evident that she will not remain shrouded in ambiguity for long and in a chat the ebullient Gemini insists she’s 100 people rolled into one and knows for sure how to let her multiple personalities shine..

Kajal is enjoying the amount of attention she has received and is yearning for more, but was acting always the tune that played in her mind and drew her feet to tinsel town? “I always wanted to be an astronaut but ended up being a grad in business administration. Even during school and college levels I was involved in extracurricular activities and theatre and all of that helped me get a cutting edge.”

Realistic roles have always appealed to Kajal, her filmography isn’t too expansive, she’s just three films old but it boasts of a colourful palette ranging from Bharatiraja to Teja and Krishna Vamsi. “For film actresses, especially those in the commercial circuit, it’s very rare to get substantial author-backed roles. Forget author-backed roles, many a time they don’t even get roles with well-defined edges.

I’m lucky that way to work with three great men. Teja is like a university, he would ask me to think with my head and perform and Krishna Vamsi would tell me to feel with my heart and get it out. Also at the beginning I worked with Bharatiraja for a Hindi film called Cinema. Except for the fact that he had directed Red Rose, I had no idea about him but then I did my research on the net and at the end of the day everything went fine, I even got to act with Nana Patekar too.”

Kajal says, her granddad gave her the name because the family members are devotees of Lord Krishna and they want me to remain in his eyes. The actress says that she loves to get rid of her hyperactive and social nature but can do little about it at the moment. “But I’m very understanding and give people a fair chance,” she says with undisguised glee.

So what does she do when she’s back from work? Kajal says, “I try to catch up with my sleep, family and I do watch a lot of movies and yes I can’t do without some food for thought. At the moment I’m hooked on Shantaram.”

What does fashion mean to her? “I believe to look glamorous one need not wear revealing outfits, one can look gorgeous in a saree too. Clothes/costumes should be beautiful, and comfortable. They should flatter the human form, not detract from it, and enhance your personality. I can carry off anything, and I believe that one shouldn’t fall prey to fashion trends, but dictate them instead.”

“Isn’t it too premature to talk anything either about the film or me”, asks Dasari Arunkumar in a very reluctant tone. Very shy and reserved, this tall, fair actor looks a wee bit unhappy as the Indian wickets tumble one after the other. He rushed home immediately from EVV’s house where the shooting was on to catch our men in action.

His four-year-old cute girl Anjali plonks beside him to get his attention while he speaks about his career that is about to take off the second time again. “This film Adivishnu has been tailored to suit my image. I obviously can’t be seen around in colleges trying to hook a girl, that phase has passed. It’s after much deliberation I have chosen to work in this home production and I hope it makes an impact.”

Arun is a little more than a six-footer, 6.2” to be precise, has the physique and is definitely a hero material but unfortunately the stories he banked on didn’t take off well. He says, “In this industry you are as good as your last film, even a hero who’s had a great success in his previous film can’t rest on the laurels, that way I think everyone’s putting effort to get noticed.”

The actor is a grad in English literature and all along his childhood he nurtured a desire to be an actor. Very articulate, he confesses he’d been laidback about his career and feels he should have given that extra push. He adds, “It’s not as if I’ve been doing anything all this while, I did work in films but as I said it doesn’t really help if the stories are inane. At the end of the day all of us hope and think that this one will work. I have learnt to be careful about the stories I select, I was very lean during my initial films, I do work out now.”

Talk about Samanyudu, Arun says, “The film did well. it’s a Jagapati Babu movie and I’m just a part of the project.” About his father he says he has fond memories of travelling with him for shootings or otherwise when he was young, our upbringing was very normal and very simple but he got to spend more time with his mother.

He adds, “My father would be very busy those days, he would be working on more than half a dozen films a year. Now he cannot direct because of his responsibilities at the Centre.” Arun appears cool, composed when it comes to the future. “There is no point in doing any film that comes your way, one bad film and your career is stuck.” What kind of films does he watch? “Almost everything. I watch all the films that release, Telugu, Hindi. English films…only when someone says it’s good.”

The man’s movies might not have made an impact so far, but he does, sweet and sober Arun is making a fresh beginning. Sucess is a strange thing, you donno when it strikes and when it does you have the world at your feet. Hope Arun gets his due very soon and we wish the Greeku Veerudu all the best.

Adusumalli Janardhan Vara Prasad is the talk of the town at the moment for his brilliant role in Chandamama. The dusky good-looking character artiste is all set to begin a new innings in Telugu cinema. In an exclusive chat to TCP, the warm and affable actor says he is humbled by the compliments he’s getting for his work in the recent release. Read what he says in brief about his role in Chandamama and the Godavari dialect that got him encomiums.

I passed out from the film institute in 83-85 and worked as an assistant director for Vikram and Mallemoggalu. I also happened to do a character role in that film. Later Tatineni Prakash Rao was making a 60 mm TV serial and I dubbed for it and during that process I bagged a villain’s role in Rajasekhar’s film Ee Prasnaku Badhuledhi.

Shyam Prasad made Ahuti (I was named Ahuti Prasad because a journalist Anjenaya Sastry wrote an article about me and nick named me Ahuti Prasad) it released in 87 and then I shifted to Chennai. In 88 I bought Police Bhaarya and made it in Kannada and continued with four more movies in Kannada. In 94-95 Krishna Vamsi offered me this character role…aa role naaku naa age ki baaga suit ayyindhi.

Though I kickstarted my career from this film as a character artiste nothing much happened. It feels good that this role in Chandamama is being appreciated. Ahuti Prasad says, “Krisha Vamsi and me are close friends and I would talk to him in the Godavari slang often. One day when he was in Bangalore he called me over the phone and asked me to reach the place urgently. I basically have a soft corner for the Ongole dialect and wanted to use that but Vamsi didn’t have a grip over it. Usually for some characters he doesn’t have a script and we develop it on the way. So while Bhupal wrote the dialogues nenu konni maarchesanu.

Raichur lo vunnappudu akkada vallu maatlade Godavari slang vini, enjoy chese vallamu. In the evenings when we friends gather I imitate some interesting people  I come across. Anyways the Godavari slang lo oka beauty vuntindhi. In this role, the father plays a vagabond and the son is goody goody guy. Ee rojullo chaduvukunnaalu vunnaru kaani around 20 years back the fathers would tell them to take it easy, 10 acres land undhiga chaalu anevaru.

VV Vinayak was in a shooting, he saw the film and called me, ‘We know each other for such a long time how come I didn’t know of this comic angle of yours.’ I know everyone will ask me to repeat such roles but I’m looking forward to enact my favourite Ongole dialect.” Filmmakers vintunnaara?

“Reacting is more difficult than acting,” says Brahmanandam who has completed 784 films and 24 years in the Telugu film industry. Comedy actors just have funny bones but not all great actors can do comedy. It is a particular skill, not the most difficult, but yes, it requires a slightly better sense of timing. Recollecting his very best recent roles in Pokiri, Dhee and Yamadonga Brahmanandam attributes the success to the directors who created the characters and believed that he can do justice to them.

He says, “In Pokiri I played a forty year balding man, pot bellied who had immense confidence in himself that Ileana would definitely fall for him, in Dhee it was all about reacting to a situation and in Yamadonga, with due respect to Allu Ramalingaiah I attempted Chitragupta’s role. Since I was a Telugu lecturer, I had a grip over the diction. At the end of the day, performing a comedy scene is like narrating a joke. The joke may be wonderful but if it is not narrated with the right flair, the right expressions, the right timing, it will fall flat. A bad actor will kill the best joke and great actor will make the simplest joke work.”

Brahmanandam denies he is the most sought after comedian in the industry and says there is abundant talent and he is merely a drop in the ocean. He adds, “Unlike our neighbouring state, we have so many comedians and all have their own unique style, modulation, and characters have been craved specially for most of them. There is work for all and there is so much unity and co-operation within us which you seldom get to see elsewhere in the Indian film industry.

The actor says he doesn’t want to rush his son into movies. “Gautam made his debut when he was merely 18. He was in the first year of his graduate studies. I am insisting that he complete his studies first and work on his physique and do the homework before plunging full time into movies. I want to plan his career from my side.”

How does Brahmanandam improvise on his work? He replies, “Some kind of inherent flair and liking for comedy, the sensitivity to imbibe the funnier and the more humorous influences from the atmosphere i.e., observation, a good sense of humour, the ability and the habit of playing with words and phrases and finally some kind of goal in life apart from earning money.”  

How is that possible? “During my birthdays or when ever I find time I go to the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology just like that to spend time with the patients. Dr. Nageswar Reddy (Dr. Nageswar Reddy and Brahmannadam have been awarded doctorates from the Nagarjuna University) said that whenever I am with them he finds some kind of change in the patients. The momentary happiness, the smile that my presence provides is also a therapy he opines. That provides me immense satisfaction. I am thankful to God for giving me a funny face.”