Samantha Interview...:) Samantha might very well be destiny’s favourite child and she believes that’s true, yet she doesn’t take her stardom too seriously. In a conversation with Postnoon, she opens up about her childhood, dreams, ambitions and her relentless pursuit of happiness. What’s your earliest memory in life? One thing which I remember from my childhood is the night when my dad took me out for an ice cream. I think I was in the fifth standard back then. Honestly, I’m not quite fond of my childhood and I have this habit of deleting everything from my memory if I am not happy about. I didn’t have a picture perfect childhood. I had two elder brothers who were very rough with me, got whacked a lot (laughs). I was a very weak student till my fifth standard and I even used to fail in Hindi. It’s only after that I began doing well in school and aced all my exams thereafter. You have come a long way now, but growing up in a middle class family must have left quite an impact on you. Has it? I think that was what made me the person I am today. I believe that it was destiny that I happened to be at the right place at the right time. I don’t think you can take credit for being where you are in the film industry. This is not a climb up the ladder gradually like a corporate set up. You can become a star overnight and one day, before you know, it’s all gone. It’s not something which one should be really proud of or be arrogant about, because it’s not you. And that’s why I believe that when we have so much, we need to give back. I have seen really difficult times, where I was struggling to make ends meet. That has all changed now. That is something which I hold on from my past, that I should never forget where I came from. And I also realise that there are lot of people out there who need that help and who probably were just like me. That’s why I reach out as much as possible. What did you aspire to be when you were a kid? More than a particular profession, I aspired to be successful. I didn’t want to let the situation I was born into decide my future. I come from a suburb like Pallavaram, near Chennai where no one has big dreams. As a child, I have had this drive to be successful in life and work towards it. Even in college, I wasn’t the most intelligent but I certainly was the most hardworking. Thankfully, that trait has followed me into my profession as well. You would have spent several years trying to find a breakthrough before Ye Maya Chesave changed your life. Do you keep thinking about those days or have you deleted it from your memory? After a point, you can’t really forget anything that easily, although I would like to wipe out a lot of things including ex-boyfriends (laughs). On a serious note, when I was in Chennai recently to shoot an ad for Saravana stores, I met my co- ordinator, who had seen me years ago, struggling to get a big break. There was a time, when I would earn Rs 2,500 for working the whole day and now, the same person comes back to me and offers me 100 times that amount. I haven’t forgotten that and I haven’t changed as a person at all, even if I have, it’s only for the better. My first film was Moscowin Kaveri. I won’t call it as a bad experience, because after that film I decided what I don’t want to be and how I’ll never be. I was scared and there was always a fear. Things like that make you do stupid things. Working in that film taught me how you should never take advantage of your position or treat people badly. That was something I needed really, because if I had a dream debut, maybe I would have thought that everything goes on quite smoothly in the film industry. After that I knew exactly how people are, how I should behave and shouldn’t behave. Being a successful actress does sound like a never ending party, apart from all the pressure that comes with it. But, what do you dream about? I dream about being happy all the time. After few films, you realise that happiness has nothing to do with money or fame in the industry. If you are not able to see happiness in little things, then I think the purpose is lost. So smile often. I don’t really need to have a large amount of money or become the most successful star but I yearn for all the small things in life. There needs to be love, kindness and sharing and when I’m working in a film, there has to be a comfort level with everyone on the sets. You hardly get 30-40 minutes of screen time in a big commercial film and rumour has it that even the most popular heroines earn around Rs 1-2 crores per film, which is way less than what the heroes in the top bracket earn. Is there a glass ceiling in the industry? Do you pick what’s best for you or do you wish there was something more to it? I haven’t thought about it so much, but all I can say is that I don’t sign every film that comes my way. I try to take up the best of the lot that I’m offered. I’m proud of the films I have done. I might not have had too much screen time, but to be a part of the change in Telugu cinema is exciting for me. I’m happy in the space I’m in. Where do you draw the line between your real and reel life? Oh…no, there’s no question of one overshadowing the other. I’m a proper 9am -6pm kind of person and I don’t take my work or stardom home. I’m an extremely normal person after work. I believe you don’t have to be extremely intelligent to be a good actor or an actress, but you must be impulsive and spontaneous. In my case, a lot of my real life personality comes on to screen. I don’t think you can hide your personality onscreen because the eyes are a window to your soul. People can see through you. Going by your tweets, your characters and the way you interact with people, there’s a touch of innocence. Are you afraid that you are going to miss all that, because the industry changes you? I still don’t feel like I have achieved something. Every day I feel the urge to step up my game and I still feel like a newcomer. I don’t think I’ll ever be part of the industry in the conventional sense. I always feel if my next film flops, I’m going to be sent home. Is that your biggest fear? I wouldn’t mind going home (laughs). On a serious note, my biggest fear is that I’ll find happiness right in front of me and I will ignore it. There’s a lot of interest in your personal life. Does that overwhelm you at times or have you accepted that it’s part of the game? I promised myself that I’ll never be two people. I only act onscreen and post 6 pm, I am who I am. I don’t want to reach a stage where I forget who I really am. Moreover, I am very frank about what I do. I won’t issue statements like ‘I’m single and ready to mingle’. It is the most overused phrase these days. If I’m in a relationship, then I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong. Take it or leave it. What does being Samantha feel like, far beyond all the hype and hoopla? Extremely normal, but no day is like the last one. You have spent quite a lot of time in Hyderabad. What is it that you find quite unique about the City? As much as I love Chennai, I have never seen such loyal, genuine, loving and caring people like I have come across in Hyderabad. I can warm up to everyone on the sets here. They all have a sense of dignity and respect irrespective of their educational background. They are very classy and dignified and I have not seen this anywhere else. One thing which you wish was different in the film industry? I wish the Telugu film industry also makes more small experimental films like what’s happening in Tamil cinema these days. Vijay Sethupathy is my favourite actor and he’s the face of the new wave of cinema in Tamil. I would love to do a low budget film which is content-driven. I sincerely want to be part of that change and I can see it happening slowly. Favourite restaurant? - N Grill and N Asian Favourite virtue - Sharing Favourite qualities in a man – Intelligence Your main fault – I’m hard on myself What’s your idea of happiness – Little things in life Favourite colour – It keeps changing. For now, it is green Favourite writers – Paulo Coelho Favourite food & drink – I love tea and current favourite is Yogi tea and I love fish. What do you hate the most ? -I don’t think I hate anything. I can live with anything One natural talent that you wish you were gifted with – Singing What’s your current state of mind? – A little impulsive. What would you like people to write on your epitaph? - There was one life and she didn’t waste it. What character would you be in the cinematic universe? – Megamind. I think he’s my alterego and he is my all time favourite character. What’s your biggest weakness? - Impulsiveness The first film you remember watching – Pocahontas. I think I was in my Class VI when I watched it.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 15:53:40 +0000
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