In her own SPACE

Anasuya Bharadwaj’s role as ‘Rangamattha’ in ‘Rangasthalam’ is already creating a buzz

Loving the rustic feel Anasuya talks about her new movie look

Did Anasuya Bharadwaj break the glass ceiling? Going by what the general public thinks of a married woman with children in a film industry, to be playing a lead role or for that matter, travelling through a crucial role with a superstar in a film directed by Sukumar…yes she did break some stereotypes.

When Anasuya worked at a special effects company while completing her MBA, she was seen as just another tall and a pretty face but soon offers poured in. She was roped in as a newsreader for a television channel, then did anchoring, playing host for chat shows and other programmes and soon was the most wanted anchor at movie audio release functions. Even before she realised she has made her presence felt in

Kshanam , she was on

Soggade Chinni Nayana and

Gayatri. S he has wrapped up

Rangasthalam and is waiting to finish her part as a lead actor in

Sacchindira Gorre . “I was also offered the lead role in

Aarya 2 , Sukumar teases me even now that I missed being the heroine.”

Adds Anasuya, “I was among the three daughters of an orthodox Brahmin family and never had any guy friends till I came to plus one. I was seeing my husband since I was 17-years-old and it took us nine years to convince my parents and get married; once my husband and family got the confidence that I am ready for the world, they let me explore the opportunities,” she says of her entry into media and movie industry.

Controversy’s child

Yet it was no joy ride for Anasuya. Like any other young woman, she was a social media person giving expression to her thoughts; but a big section of the audience has been very uncharitable to her. She got trolled for her dressing, her work in films and even her personal life. She was criticised whenever she opposed any attempt to dictate her life. Every act of hers was blown out of proportion by the mainstream media too; that irked and disturbed her. She points out, “Savitri and Bhanumati were not figure conscious at all and their careers zoomed after their marriage. Their marital status did not matter to filmmakers and people then, as long as they performed well. Aren’t many male actors married? How is it anyone’s business what I do in my private life? Lavanya Tripathi played Nagarjuna’s wife but I, being a mother of two, played his unmarried

maradalu and pulled it off. It is all in the mind. Every woman should do what she wants. I was out of social media for two months, I have a team that manages my work professionally and promotes my projects.”

While one problem subsided, she was pulled into another controversy in quick succession. She was all over the papers for thrashing a child who clicked her photos and another day she got flak for telling Vijay Deverakonda what he did was wrong. She recalls the backlash she received, “Their negativity was too much to handle. I am very emotional when it comes to kids and when people said I thrashed a kid it was bad. Mom was down with high diabetes and BP and I decided I can’t do this to my family, so I chose to cut off from social media. It is unfair when people say that I do a show like Jabardasth and so I shouldn’t comment on Vijay speaking inappropriately at a public event. Jabardasth is a comedy show, it is only for fun. My critics know deep inside that I was talking something different entirely aboutVijay.”

Rangamattha

Anasuya’s sultry look as Rangamattha in the teaser of Rangasthalam is catching everybody’s attention. “For my character there was no makeup. I sported the turmeric-smeared face look. I played a 28 -year-old character and had to travel with Chitti Babu (Ram Charan) throughout the film, we were like friends. Sukumar mentioned those days people addressed each other by relationships like yentraa babai , yenti pinni . The story is set in the eighties and I play a character with 90s thinking process. You will appreciate the way I wear my sari, the bindi and my walking style would change with the attire. Rangamattha possessed me.

There was never a second take and I was confused why Sukumar would never react after my shot. I even doubted if I would be continued in the film. People told me that if Sukumar doesn’t talk, it means he is very happy with you, then I relaxed.”

She adds, “When I saw the rushes during dubbing, I noticed that it wasn’t Anasuya. You will just travel in a village called Rangasthalam. My first scene was big and with Ram Charan, and he made me feel so comfortable. ”

The word rangasthalam implies the world is like a stage and we are all actors. Anasuys sums up her experience as being blessed and lucky. Earlier she was reluctant to be a part of the drama but now she feels that every character that an actor plays leaves one trait in them. “It is very important what you pick even if it is a negative character. What you take from it and give to it is important. Rangamattha is a fighter. Just as Sivagami or Neelambari became cult characters in the history of Telugu cinema, Rangamattha will also leave a deep impression. Don’t know how much I justified it, but the character will surely stand out.”