Hyderabadi actor Sri Divya is suddenly busy with two films. She had done Manasara directed by Ravi Babu and Nagarpuram , a Tamil movie by a debutant Parthasarathy. She is currently waiting for the release of Kaatumalli again directed by a newcomer. Apparently her sister has done 1940 Oka Gramam that won a National Award and is now waiting for the release of her second film. Both siblings have something in common, they are level headed and do not sign every movie that comes their way and they are both totally against skin show in films.
Sri Divya says she has heard many stories but was yet to come across something that excited her. That was when director Rama Raju offered her Mallela Theeram . She observes, “I asked my mother to hear the story first and then narrate it to me as these days newcomers are coming up with the same old stories. My mother returned and told me that the heroine had to wear cotton saris and jasmines throughout the film. I was pleasantly surprised. I felt really good; how many heroines are dressed in saris these days? Even if they wear, it is below their waist and the saris are designed such a way that is suitable for a ramp walk. Also no one is writing and directing a woman-oriented subject. I enjoyed doing that film a lot.”
The actor is in the midst of the shooting of Bus Stop with Prince of Neeku Naku Dash Dash as her co-star. The film is being directed by Maruthi who has a hit Ee Rojullo to his credit. It is a college story that also deals with parent-child relationship. While Mallela Theeram hits the screens in the second week of October, she is being flooded by compliments for the dubbing. She adds, “If someone else were to dub for the film, the impact would not have been felt. It was like expressing my feelings to a friend or reading out a diary. I live the character Lakshmi in the movie, my saris were de-starched to look ordinary and not stiff. Rama Raju narrated the film from the woman’s point of view, he is sure to find a respectable place in Telugu films.”
She avers that all the directors she worked with had a unique approach to work; Ravi Babu was good at screenplay and cinematography and reminds one of Hollywood films. Maruthi loves the fun element and prefers a mix of message and fun. He thinks people spend money and time to see a film and we should make films to give them entertainment.
