MOVIE DUNIYA: January 2009

Jan 31, 2009

Jan 29, 2009

Bollywood Actor Sonu Sood's, Another Hit Arundhati

Sonu Sood Interview

Sonu Sood, a familiar face in Hindi movies, has become a huge hit in the Telugu film industry.

The tall and lean actor has had a good 2008 having done Hindi films like Jodhaa Akbar, Singh is Kinng and Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi.

He is also basking in the unprecedented success of the recently released Telugu film Arundhati, one of the runaway hits in the beginning of 2009.

Sonu was brilliant as Pashupati and especially as aghora (he plays a tantric) he sent shivers down our spine.

The unpretentious, friendly and warm actor talks about Arundhati, his role as Pashupati and acting in Telugu films.

Why Arundhati?

I was on the lookout for a new role. When I met the producer (Shyam Prasad Reddy) and director (Kodi Ramakrishna), the role was that of a bouncer. They wanted me to play an aghora and I did not know who an aghora was. The producer and director then showed me some sketches. The only thing I knew was that I would be working with a team which had done its homework. I signed the role purely on instinct.

Besides the script, weren't you influenced by big names like Shyam Prasad Reddy and Kodi Ramakrishna?

The script was the main reason to sign the film. The names were also important.

My make-up alone took 4-5 hours'
You've put in a high-voltage performance as Pashupati. Did you do any homework for it?

I saw photographs of aghoras given to me by the production unit. I didn't get much reading material on them, though. I was a bit confused on whether to underplay or overplay but the director knew what he wanted. In the end it was spontaneity on the sets.

A role on reincarnation, a tormented spirit wreaking vengeance -- did you think that such a role would work in today's age of science and rationality?

Yes, I did have some hesitation. I did have this question in my mind on how to convince people with the supernatural element. All the people who worked on the script were fully charged and they had the conviction that they could do it. So I believed in that conviction and the supernatural theme connected with the audience.

How challenging was it to play the character?

It was not easy. My make-up alone took 4-5 hours and it was tedious maintaining it too. In fact it was a challenge. At times we used to shoot continuously for many hours without a wink. Physically it was tiring. And I used to have rashes on the body because of the make-up. I suffered from backache as well. All this made me think of never doing something like this again. However after seeing the success of Arundhati, I have to rethink my decision.

I did Jodhaa Akbar and Arundhati simultaneously. And both the characters were totally different. When I returned to Jaipur (for Jodhaa Akbar) after shooting for Arundhati, I would tell Ashutosh Gowarikar (director Jodhaa Akbar) and his team about playing the aghora. I think it's some supernatural force which helped me do it.

'I even scared myself when I watched the film in the theatre!'
You were able to induce fear and terror. Your body language and expressions were so apt especially in the scenes as aghora. How did you manage that?

I even scared myself when I watched the film in the theatre! I think the word 'action' did the trick. I think it's destiny which made me play Pashupati in the film. My sister who would come to the sets to watch the shoot told me, 'I couldn't see you bhaiyya; I could see only the character.' In fact the character was so overpowering and strong that I couldn't see anything else.

Did the character haunt you later? Were you able to shed it easily from your mind and body?

It wasn't easy. The character stayed with me for quite some time.

Arundhati is faring very well. Did you anticipate its success?

I believed in the film and knew it would be appreciated. But what I didn't realise was that it would break records. It's been a great learning experience. It has also proved that if you believe in yourself, you can do wonders and create history.

'The technicalities I learnt in the Tamil and Telugu film industries helped me in the Hindi film industry later on'
You have been playing the baddie (Ashok) as well as essaying some good roles (Super, Athadu, Mr Medhavi). What challenges you as an artiste? Does playing roles with shades of grey give you more scope as an artiste?

I never wanted to be typecasted. That's why I do different roles. Every role is challenging. It is important for an actor to explore all phases and to learn.

How did you adapt yourself to Tamil and Telugu films? What about the language barrier?

When I started doing these films, there was no choice. I was an engineer who got into acting and the scripts were good. The technicians in the South were brilliant. I learnt the words, then the lines -- the whole process. It was like a new classroom with new teachers. The technicalities I learnt in the Tamil and Telugu film industries helped me in the Hindi film industry later on.

'People say I'm choosy but the role has to excite me'
Are you working on any Telugu projects?

I have done a movie (Bangaru Babu) with Jagapathi Babu where I play a positive role. I am listening to scripts though I haven't signed any films yet.

Will you juggle Hindi and Telugu/Tamil films?

I will juggle between Hindi and Telugu films. I enjoy working in the Telugu film industry. I plan to work in two Telugu releases in a year.

How selective are you in choosing scripts?

People say I'm choosy but the role has to excite me. It has to be a character which makes me get up without an alarm.

Can we know something about Sonu, the man in real life...?

Well I am from a small town Moga (Punjab). I never thought I would get into acting. Thanks to my family's support, I am where I am today in the film world. I am a shy person, I don't party. I play the guitar, watch movies, play with my six-year old son, spend time with my family and also play cricket.

source:rediff.com

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Wednesday News Scan: Pavan Kalyan marries again!

MANAMU CHUDALILA

The highlight of Wednesday's dailies is the exclusive report published by Andhra Jyothy on the second wedding of Praja Rajyam's youth wing president Pavan Kalyan with his living partner Renu Desai. Though it is not exactly a banner story, it was prominently highlighted as the lead headline and the detailed story was carried inside.

It says Pavan Kalyan is officially getting married to Renu Desai at his Nandagiri Hills residence at 9.50 am on Wednesday, so as to avoid legal problems in future and also to counter the criticism from his political rivals. The invitation cards were printed in the name of Pavan-Renu's son Akira, who invited guests for his "parents' wedding."

However, no guests are being invited for the wedding and the cards are meant only for the sake of registering the marriage. Regarding the lead stories in other two dailies, Sakshi and Eenadu, they chose different ones. Sakshi did a follow-up on its yesterday's exclusive report on financial irregularities of Heritage Foods, promoted by Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu. The banner story, however, lacks any punch, as the original story did not evoke any ripples in political circles as claimed by the daily. It carried mug shots of leaders of different political parties, who wanted that thorough inquiry to be done into the allegations. However, the entire story is about how Naidu remained silent and tried to avoid media persons, while Heritage Foods authorities were also not available for any clarifications.

Eenadu highlighted two major social issues as its banner stories – one on the continued atrocities committed on women with examples of attack on an engineering student by her jilted lover in Prakasam district, rape and murder of a degree college student in Hyderabad and murder attempt on another girl in Anantapur (this report was made the banner story by Andhra Jyothy and the second lead story by Sakshi as well); and the second report on a California woman giving birth to eight children at a time.

At the bottom of these box items, Eenadu carried two more special reports: the first one is about how the government had given 800 square yards of prime land in Secunderabad to a Congress MLC P Padmavathi treating her as being below the poverty line ; and the second story is about how the government has exonerated three former officials of Hyderabad Urban Development Authority in the Outer Ring Road scandal, despite a negative report from CBI.

And there was another small box item on the arrest of a senior police official for offering Rs 50,000 bribe to Director General of Police (Prisons). The same report was carried in other two newspapers, too. Incidentally, Andhra Jyothy carried another lead story on the corrupt practices of "big police boss" (though it did not name the official, it was obvious that he is none other than DGP S S P Yadav), who is allegedly encouraging kidnap gangs in Bihar and also has received kickbacks from scandalous engineer Elugubanti Suryanarayana.

Unfortunately, the death of former President R Venkatraman could find a mention only as a photograph on the front pages of all the three dailies and the details, in brief, were carried inside.