Failure of Films Teaches More Than Their Success: Tamannaah
South actress Tamannaah on how she became more fashion conscious thanks to her stint in Bollywood and fans in South
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25-year-old Mumbai born and bred Tamannah Bhatia is a big star in Tamil and Telugu films. The actress feels her three Hindi flops -- Himmatwala, Humshakals and Entertainment, have been a great learning experience. Being a huge Kuch Kuch Hota Hai fan, the Baahubali actress is excited about her film being presented by Karan Johar all over India.
Q: When three of your Hindi films opposite Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar didn’t do well, did it affect you?
Tamannaah: The films failed. It doesn’t stop me from going ahead and doing what I do. The failure of your films teaches you far more than the success ever will. That learning experience is a good reality check. It broadens your mind and makes you more aware with what you should be doing and how you should be.
Q: Is there one thing you took back from your experience of working in Hindi films? How did the failure impact your choices in selecting films?
Tamannaah: Another huge avenue that Hindi films opened up for me – was a sense of fashion. I didn’t have that earlier because I wasn’t exposed enough to understand. I didn’t know why someone fussed over a shoe or a bag so much or why is a certain hairstyle so important. It didn’t make sense to me then and I didn’t value it. But today fashion has taken a strong part in my life so much so that I have launched an online jewelry line called ‘White and Gold’. I take care of my appearance when I step out. I have to thank Hindi films for that. My choices have changed. I am pickier. I try to do films that I would like to watch.
Q: What are your plans to break into Bollywood again?
Tamannaah: I plan to act. As long as am acting whatever offers come my way, I will choose from that. For me language has never been a criterion. If it was, I would never have gone to the South in the first place. If I get good work in any language, I would be more than happy to take it up. I am open to new things.
Q: If Sajid Khan were to offer you another film would you do it?
Tamannaah: After Himmatwala (failed), people wondered why I did Humshakals but if something nice comes up I am not someone who has ten thousand hang ups in her head. Of course the poor guy been panned by too many people. For me, I will always have respect for him as he gave me an opportunity in Hindi films.
Q: Will Karan Johar’s association help Baahubali in the North market? Will a regional film work in other Indian markets?
Tamannaah: Karan Johar’s faith in the film has reassured us a lot because a director of his stature taking up a regional film and putting it out there pan India is huge. We are lucky to have him project our film to its optimum potential. This film can be released in Japenese, Chinese, Malayalam etc and it will still work because it’s based on basic universal human emotions. It’s a visual film.
Q: A year of shooting was already complete before you came on board of Baahubali. What did you know about the film?
Tamannaah: Before I came on board, I heard it’s a war film, it’s a period film and I really wondered what I’m doing in it. A year had been spent doing it and I didn’t know whether Rajamouli was going to offer me a special appearance in the film because they already had another actress in the film. Even in the south film industry, people thought I was playing a cameo. But, when I heard my part, I was very excited. I play a warrior princess Avantika, who is also the female love interest of Prabhas’ character.
Q: Which Bollywood director and actor would you want to work with
Tamannaah: I am a huge Karan Johar fan. I have watched Kuch Kuch Hota Hai numerous times while growing up so much so that I can even repeat dialogues. As for actor, I am a huge Hrithik fan.
Q: You have worked with superstars in the South film industry and with Ajay and Akshay in Bollywood. What difference do you see?
Tamannaah: Superstars are essentially very normal people though they have very crazy lives. They are regular people like you and me but the difference is the fans perception of them. When we attended the Tirupati audio launch of Baahubali, there were a lakh people in the audience, which is as big as a rock concert. In the South, the fans worship you. They look at their stars like Gods. But here except for a few top actors, fandom changes every Friday. In the South there’s lot more loyalty. Some flop films also sail through because the fans have literally pushed it. That’s the difference.
Q: There have been reports that Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan are to attend the premiere of your film?
Tamannaah: Is it? I better get a good dress then!
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