Frank and fearless, Khushbu has always been interesting interview material. As a child actor, she garnered notice, as a heroine she reigned supreme in Tamil cinema, as a soap star she makes indelible impressions on viewers, as talk show hostess she draws attention and as a producer, she is successful. Khushbu’s winsome smile, beauty and potential have helped her scale the zenith in the entertainment industry. Here’s her take on her maiden efforts…
“The first time I faced the camera was as a child actor for ‘The Burning Train.’ I was asked to cry and I did it effortlessly. If I remember right, it was okayed in the first take,” she recalls about the beginning of her tryst with acting.
“My Hindi films didn’t do well. So no point in dwelling on that,” she remarks with candour. That was when she was selected to play the lead opposite Venkatesh in ‘Kaliyuga Pandavulu’ in Telugu. “It was my first film as heroine in the South. A Rama Naidu film with an imposing cast, it was a dream debut. I was on a high throughout the shoot. Language wasn’t a deterrent at all.”
In Tamil, her victory march began with Rajnikanth’s ‘Dharmathin Thalaivan’, in which she was paired with Prabhu. “Initially I found the language really tough. Looking back, I can only laugh, because today I can read, write and speak Tamil fluently,” she says.
“Shifting to the small screen was a conscious choice after marriage. My baby was due in September and I was shooting till August! I was working like crazy and it was time for me to concentrate on my family. TV suited me fine because of the regular work hours.”
“The real challenge was hosting ‘Jackpot’ (on Jaya TV) because it had no script. ‘No I don’t think I can do this impromptu. I’m really scared,’ I told the producer, but they were sure I could pull it off,’ Khushbu remembers. But she did and how!
‘Jackpot’ went on for nine years and made Khushbu the queen of the small screen. Sporting differently styled blouses week after week, she became a great hit with avid Tamil TV watchers!
‘Kalki’ was her first mega as producer, in which she also played the protagonist. “I’m a person who is always up and about. Even when I’m at home, and the family is watching television, I’m scurrying around doing something or the other.
As if all these aren’t enough, Khushbu has been a judge of ‘Maanaada Mayilaada’ on Kalaignar TV for eight seasons. “Then there has been ‘Achcham Thavir’ a show on social issues, which I anchored on Thanthi TV.” Another recent addition to her colourful hat!
