She is more known to the television audiences as Priyanka of Antarangaalu and as one of Chiranjeevi's sister in the movie Hitler . Meena Kumari, has now completed ten years in the television and film industry and on the occasion laments that she could have done more films and far better roles in movies but got stuck in television serials that dragged over two and three years.
She observes, “I would allot bulk dates for television serials and would reject offers from Telugu films, citing date problems. The producers too in the process were resigned to the fact that this actor is always busy in some language or the other and somewhere stopped approaching me. If I had any time I would do Malayalam movies or do Tamil and Telugu serials.”
The actor who is proficient in all south Indian languages thinks there is a great deal of satisfaction in her work which multiplies manifold when the serial becomes a big hit and people talk about it. Her only regret is that she couldn't grab the good offers in Telugu; she is capable of doing a lot better than what she is being offered now. In the Manoj-Balakrishna starrer Uu kodathara Ulikkipadathara she's playing Tamil actor Prabhu's wife. She adds, “I first said that I am not doing that type of character, but they insisted on me listening to the story and said it would be good. After I reached the set, they remarked that I'm too young for that role; but since I've already committed, I remained silent.”
The pretty and talented actor recollects her golden days on the small tube, “I had completed my tenth standard when I started doing Antarangaalu . I got to do Hitler too around the same time. My role in the serial was that of an arrogant woman Priyanka who is married to Achyut. Every time I went out, people would ask me why I was harrassing Sarat Babu who played my servant turned guardian. I would still treat him as a servant and people wouldn't like it, they would wait for 8 pm every week to see what would happen next. It was a learning experience those days as I would be on the sets every morning all curious and eager to learn and know things. Achyut and I worked in Anubandham too but as siblings. Those days NTR and Savitri were a hit as brother and sister in Raktha Sambandam , I won a Nandi for that role. Achyut's death was unexpected, we were spechless and it took us a long time to recover.”
Meena also had some inconspicuous work in Jayam Manadera, Kalisundam Ra etc and shuttled between three states; she now has found time to pursue a degree in law; all this leaves her no time for anything. “By the time I reach home after my television work it's 8 or 8.30 pm . I do switch on the television to see if I'm there in that episode otherwise I crash. I don't have time to even think. Life has been very hectic these ten years.”
