MOVIE DUNIYA

Samantha's walk in the clouds

She is the new Sam who is making waves in Tollywood and Kollywood, following the mega success of her debut film in Telugu Ye Maaya Chesave (YMC). The film, which is the Telugu version of Gautham Menon’s Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, has turned out to be a superhit in Andhra Pradesh.

The irony of it is that Samantha, who was a top Chennai model, actually started off her filmi career with cinematographer-turned-director Ravi Varman’s debut film Moscovin Kaveri, which is yet to release, and followed it up with Pookada Ravi with Narain which got stalled. Her third Tamil film — Baana Kaathadi — will be her launch film in Kollywood as it gets ready for a May release. The pretty actress is hoping that the film, a romantic romp, will be her YMC in Tamil.

Lady Luck is finally smiling on Samantha who comes across as a very confident, charming and self-assured person. In an exclusive interview to CT, Samantha says, “I was unhappy after both my Tamil films got delayed. But all that changed overnight following the success of Ye Maaya Chesave. My life changed and I’m on cloud nine, thanks to Gautham Menon. I was called a nerd in school and college and everybody thought that I would go the academic way. Nobody, even in my family, thought in their wildest dreams that I would land up in tinsel town.”

Samantha takes heart in the fact that she got the opportunity to work with a director of repute like Gautham Menon so early in her career. Says the actress, “But for Jessie (the character she played in the film), I would not be here. I was very lucky to work with a director who knew exactly what he wanted and shaped my look and body language in the film. He has drawn out a performance from me which I didn’t think I would be capable of so early on in my career.” The film has made her the hottest star in Telugu and she’s now doing projects with superstars Mahesh Babu and NTR.

However, Samantha’s heart is in Kollywood. Born to a Malayali mother and a Telugu father, Sam lived all her life in Chennai and started her career as a model with a top textile showroom. Confesses Samantha, “I consider myself a Chennai girl and it would be a dream come true to make it big in Tamil films.” She is pinning a lot of hope on Baana Kaathadi, directed by debutant Badri Venkatesh. The film will mark the debut of Adharvaa, son of Tamil actor Murali, as hero. “It is a romantic film laced with action and suspense. I play a college girl Priya who’s doing her fashion designing course. She is a bubbly girl and meets a guy, who thinks differently, at a kite festival.”

About Tamil cinema being too glamorous for her, the simple girl with a captivating smile says, “It is the character that makes the role glamorous. Jessie and her saris have made me look elegant on screen in YMC, but if the character demands it I can transform into a glam girl.” Wrapping up the interview, we ask her what her future projects in Tamil are, expecting her to reel out the names of top heroes. However, Samantha surprises us by saying, “I have no clue; I may do a film with a director I admire and respect.”