Kushboo makes her debut in Kannada television with Nandini on Udaya TV. The actor, who started off as a child artiste with the Hindi film The Burning Train , Kushboo went on to become the superstar in the south. Though she has acted in Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films, it was the Tamil film industry that catapulted her to fame. She is the first Indian actress to have a temple built in her honour by fans.
Kushboo is not new to the world of television. In fact, she has anchored many talk shows. Till now she has steered clear of fiction. Now she will be seen playing a goddess in Nandini where she protects the tribal people with her spiritual power. According to the makers, her role will generate a lot of curiosity in the viewers. The bilingual (in Tamil and Kannada) show is written and produced by Kushboo’s husband Sundar C. The screenplay is by Venkataraghavan and dialogues by SV Uday. It is directed by Rajkapoor. Kushboo talks to Metroplus over the telephone from Chennai during the shoot.
Excerpts:
From a child artist to one of the top most heroines in the south. Tell us about your journey.
It has been beautiful with a lot of ups and downs. But then every down experience has given me the strength to come up again and taught me that every time you go down you have to paddle a little harder to come back up. I can sum it up by saying it has been a wonderful roller coaster ride.
You acted in many Kannada films and went into the Tamil film industry and now will be back again in Kannada with a serial. How does it feel?
It feels good as it is a bilingual. I have not done a Kannada film for years now. In fact, I have stayed away from films. I am doing one Telugu film after a gap of 11 years and a Tamil film after seven years. I think my last Kannada film was Magic Ajji.
Why this gap?
I took a break because of my family. Movies take up a lot of your time with travel for outdoor shoots. You have to leave your family behind. For the last 20 years I stopped working on Sundays or after 6 pm. It is a time for the family. It has become a routine for me as I hate being away from my children.
I like being a hands-on mother. That was also a reason why I went into the television in 2001. It was basically for my children. I never had a nanny to bathe them or feed them. That is how the transition to TV happened so I could stay with my children in Chennai and also work.
You have also hosted many talk shows for television. How different is it from acting in a film?
For me the biggest plus of hosting a TV show was that people got to see the real me. Nothing is scripted here, nor are you speaking someone else’s lines or portraying a fictional character. It is the real you that people see. They hear our true voice and not a dubbed version. They also see how you interact with people, or face the short comings of your participants.
Tell us about Nandini, and why you chose this supernatural drama to make your debut as an actor for Kannada television.
My husband is the creative head and also the writer-producer for Nandini .
That is how I got into it. We also got involved in it as it is a family-oriented story where the entire family can sit together and watch. There is something for the women, men and children as our target audience was not just women alone and believe we have succeeded in doing that.
Is there any nervousness about your debut on Kannada television as an actor?
I am excited about doing a serial in Kannada. I have acted in Kannada films in the past. But now I am portraying a character that the Kannada audience has never seen me in. So the only apprehension is will they accept me in this role.
Will you be seen in a Kannada film soon?
Only if I am offered a substantial role. I have been getting roles, but nothing that has interested me. I am keen to a Kannada film.
Now the industry is doing so well with so many new stories and themes being tackled and with so many young directors too who are doing such good work.
Who would you like to act with?
That goes without saying that I would love to come back to Kannada films with Ravi sir (Ravichandran).
What about Bollywood?
Movies is not about languages and borders, but just about acting. In fact, I also don’t like the terms used – Bollywood, Kollywood, Tollywood or Sandalwood... It does not make sense. It is just about making films, that’s it.
Has you ever thought about direction?
No. One director at home is sufficient (referring to her husband Sundar). I know the mental work that goes into it. So, definitely no. I am happy being the director of my house and my family.
Nandini will be telecast at 8.30 pm on Udaya TV from Monday to Friday.
