Jayaprada is never short on surprises. Just when critics thought she had had her innings as an actress and was concentrating only on her Lok Sabha constituency Rampur, she decided to walk the ramp for Ashima-Leena at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in New Delhi. Of course, her choice of designers and attire raised a few eyebrows, but the subject “Go green, go Delhi” touched a chord.
Then just the other day when one went to meet her at her Canning Lane residence, just off Feroz Shah Road, she pulled off another surprise. Far from her screen and political image of a traditional Indian woman dressed in unending yards of sari, there she was flashing a figure-hugging black jacket to go with a long skirt that kissed her ankles and a black hat that teased her brown hair that fell playfully on her shoulders! If she is 47, she hid it gamely! Balancing on her six-inch black boots, and striking poses that would do a model proud, she came up with another surprise.
Delhi via Rampur
Delhi has certainly opened its doors to the lady who calls Rajahmundary her “janambhoomi” and Rampur her “karambhoomi”. “Well, Rampur paved the way to Delhi for me. Today I am at peace with the city. Earlier I usually lived in Mumbai and for some time in Bangalore and Hyderabad too. However, Delhi has its own charm.”
This week, she has made her debut as a producer of a Bengali film and come back to the silver screen playing a tribal insurgent in Ashok Viswanathan’s Sesh Sangath. And many summers after she was the talk of the town for films like Tohfa and Sharaabi , each of whom was a well publicised affair, Jayaprada reveals, “It is my Bengali debut. I am happy the film is getting good vibes. It is also being promoted very well. I seek everybody’s blessings, particularly Buddhadeb Dasgupta ji with whom I am very eager to work.”
Incidentally, she was supposed to work with the ace Bengali director for Rahasmay that was supposed to be shot earlier this year. “Yes, but I was busy with elections. So I did not have time. At the moment, he is busy. He is a big man, a revered figure. So I will wait for him.”
Meanwhile, for Sesh Sangath, she is also being accused of trying to make money out of the burning Naxal issue. Jayaprada laughs off the insinuations. “The film has been ready since December last year but I did not have time to promote it well. It was launched two years ago. It is a burning, happening issue today. I play a tribal woman at the receiving end of the feudal system. It is a real character in the sense you will meet such oppressed women in the Bengal-Bihar rural areas. The film has the scent of the soil.”
But there are whispers that she is eyeing a National Award with such films? “If a National Award comes my way, I will be happy, but personally I am challenging the artiste in me. I have always done docile women’s roles in my commercial cinema. Now I want to try out something different. I want to work with different directors too. After this Bengali release, I intend to dub the film into Hindi and release it in metropolises all over. I also have to wrap up the Indo-Chinese film The Desire. In the public’s mind I am a commercial actor; now I want to be recognised as a performer. If earlier people called me ‘Dafliwali’, now I want them to call me ‘Raji’, my identity in Sesh Sangath.”
But did she have to reinvent herself at a time when her political career was taking fine shape?
“I am first of all an actress. Glamour is not everything but it is important for an artiste to have some gla mour. A few years ago, when I left the TDP, I found myself alone in Bombay. The film industry had changed. People had forgotten me. Public memory can be very short. I decided to be strong and independent. I realised I had to be in the public eye in the industry where new gods are found every Friday. Today, thanks to my experience of general elections, I am brave and strong. Today, I can produce my films and do meaningful roles in them. I can do something for oppressed women of Rampur. I can raise my voice for the poor.”
Walking the ramp
And walk the ramp too! “Oh! That was fun. It was again meant to challenge myself. I could have got some other ace designer too for my ramp debut, but I value relationships. Ashima-Leena gave me so much respect. I am fully satisfied.”
But other causes beckon. Member of Parliament. Social activist. Actor. Dancer. Singer. There are so many hats in Jayaprada’s life. She wants more.
“I meet only a certain spectrum of people here as a politician, but I try to spend more time here because whatever affects Delhi affects the entire country. Of course, I made my modelling debut here, highlighting the cause of the city. I want to do more.”
Prepare for surprises!
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A Ganpati bhajan is her caller tune these days. Just a few months ago during the heat of the elections, it was a Sufiana kalam. There are many ways of reaching the divine for Jayaprada, who feels her faith in Almighty sees her through in tough times. “It gives me strength. In His presence I never feel alone. I feel protected.”
She repeats her well-quoted line when it comes to matters of faith, “Faith God may not make mountains smaller but it makes the climb easier.” It is a faith that shall stand her in good stead, be it the battle of the ballot or box office.
My God!
A Ganpati bhajan is her caller tune these days. Just a few months ago during the heat of the elections, it was a Sufiana kalam. There are many ways of reaching the divine for Jayaprada, who feels her faith in Almighty sees
her through in tough times. “It gives me strength. In His presence I never feel alone. I feel protected. When I am alone, I do some jap. Also, I am regular with pooja.” Indeed. Her room has enough space for a long wall hanging of Ganpati at the entrance, a Radha-Krishna statue next to the bedroom door, and idols of Ganesh, Krishna, Murugan, Nataraj and Balaji in a little temple in a corner of the visitors’ room. And all day long, a Sai bhajan plays. Of course, there are photographs of the actress with Imams too, with the lady seeking their blessings.
She repeats her well-quoted line when it comes to matters of faith. “Faith in God may not make mountains smaller but it makes the climb easier.” It is a faith that shall stand her in good stead, be it the battle of the ballot or box office.
