Lakshmi is in her mid 60s; her flawless skin, sprightly walk and husky voice are intact. Just back from a shoot, dressed in a salwar kurta, Lakshmi appears relaxed and is ready for a chat. Many summers have passed and she still has the enthusiasm of a newcomer, be it with young directors like Rahul Ravindran (for Manmadhudu 2 ) and Nandini Reddy (for Oh! Baby ), or for her keyboard tutor in Chennai.
Right now she is doing three films in Hyderabad, including Vikram Kumar’s Gang Leader starring Nani, and she is happy playing such diverse characters, “After Ninne Pelladutha and Mithunam , I was offered the same kind of roles and I was tired of them. Honestly, it doesn’t matter if a film is offbeat or mainstream, I put in the same effort and do my job sincerely, but it is always nice for an artiste to be offered a variety of roles.”
Speaking about Oh! Baby , Lakshmi informs, “I had lot of commitments at home and no time, but the director said she was willing to wait. It’s such a nice, sweet story. There are so many talented and beautiful people. Their dreams are not fulfilled and they have a bucket list waiting to be struck off. Be it a man or woman, everyone has a desire to do something at the fag end of their lives. In the film, god gives this woman (Samantha acts as young version of Lakshmi) an opportunity to live her life all over again.”
Personally or career wise, Lakshmi has no regrets. She says she has lived a full life. Recently she wanted to cycle, she got one and learnt to ride it. She has no aspirations left and says it is an ‘account closing’ in this life. Lakshmi tells us how she keeps herself busy: “If you have a strong mind and are financially independent, most of your wants or desires are fulfilled. It is energising and empowering to keep the mind and body occupied. There is so much to do in life. Though the only thing I know is to cook and act, I enjoy catching up with my group of friends on WhatsApp. I don’t visit temples much because these days when you go there, you find only selfie seekers. Otherwise I am happy occasionally travelling with my husband. I don’t like shopping and hoarding things.” Showing her concern toward water wastage, Lakshmi shares an incident: “The other day I went to a restaurant and the staff insisted I change my plate after every serving. Using so many plates is a criminal waste of water. Why don’t they put a leaf on the plate, it’s far more sensible.” Lakshmi has been working without a break for many years now. She remembers taking a two-month break when her younger daughter Samyuktha visited her. Otherwise she’s been busy with work. She remembers having reported to work on the 60th day after her older daughter Aishwarya was born.
With co-stars of Manmadhudu2
Lakshmi, belonged to a generation where she wasn’t allowed to question or speak her mind. Even then, she would play with boys on the street and have the occasional rose milk, ice cream, Lamsa tea secretly. She shares, “I gave into my mother’s emotional blackmail and got married at 18, had a baby by 19. Then I asked my mother if I am done fulfilling her wishes I I will do what I want. The mind plays a big role when you want to work. Everything seems possible if we make up our mind. We have just one life and one body, why mess it up? There were no gyms at that time and people would eat well and work. Even now I can’t eat my food without butter and ghee. Sowcar Janaki amma would admonish me for adding ghee in everything. I feel I am young and I do what I want to do. I have good metabolism; even my walking is brisk.”
Coming from a higher middle class Brahmin family, she was pampered, protected and yet denied simple pleasures. They saved money judiciously and she got new clothes only for her birthday and festivals. She craved for freedom and film industry gave her that. She was treated like a queen on the sets.
Lakshmi prods women to work and be the best in that chosen field, “Even if you are doing laundry, be the best one. I know only cinema. Everyone has problems and we shouldn’t be sitting in a corner and crying. I would bring the angst and sorrow and put it in front of the camera, people applauded and I got awards. Now the world has changed, people are lot more wiser and financially better than what I saw 20 years ago,” points out Lakshmi.
