She’s sitting pretty, on top of the heap, after the stupendous success of her Pongal release, Siruthai. With Director Hari’s Vengai currently under production and four Telugu projects in hand, for the pretty and petite actor TAMANNAAH, the year sure has begun on a positive note. A heroine who has reached the top rungs not just by her great looks but also by the sheer dint of hard work and enthusiasm to excel, Tamannaah is a hot favourite amongst those who’ve worked with her. Apart from the long line of besotted males and admiring females that make up her fan base, her success can perhaps be gauged from the fact that she’s literally living off a suitcase, moving from one shoot to another. But we are sure there’s more to this workaholic than meets the eye, so we get down to discover the girl behind the greasepaint….
No kidding!
For someone who is juggling travel schedules flying between Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and remote locations every week, Tamannaah is remarkably calm and contained. The signs of a true professional are written all over her. If she gives you an appointment, no matter what, she sticks to it. Her words are measured and unhurried as she gives her full attention to the moment. It’s easy to see why directors have stated they want to work with her again. As we are treated to a dose of Tamannaah, we come away totally enthralled.
Tell her that we want to unravel the real personality behind the cool professional, and we get a peel of girlish laughter. “I am just like any other girl my age!” she laughs. That’s the understatement of the year, considering how at the age of 22, she has a foot each firmly ensconced in Tollywood and Kollywood. Ever seen the ice on a frozen lake in winter? Its exterior doesn’t give away any notion of the deep, swirling waters full of life, just below! So too it is with Tamannaah. As she warms up, we get a peek into the pep and fizz beneath!
“I always wanted to be an actor ever since I can remember. So no matter how tight the schedules and how long the shifts, I enjoy every moment because I am living my dream!” she gushes. Going back in time, Tamannaah recalls, “When I was three years old, I remember I would watch movies and change my name every day, according to the character. So one day I was Anjali, the next day Puja and so on! I was so fascinated by films that I would wear my mom’s make up, shoes, clothes and pretend to act. I wanted to grow up and do all the things I saw actors did on screen. More than my mom, it was I who used the make-up Dad bought for her!” she chuckles.
But her parents didn’t worry about her obsession since she was a good student who, like others in the family, dreamt of being a doctor! That was till the 5th grade, when the acting bug bit her when producer Salim Akhtar discovered her talent at a school function and Chand Sa Roshan Chehra became her debut Hindi film at age 13!
“At that stage I had nothing to lose. I was living my childhood fantasy anyway! After that, I got the Fair and Lovely ad during my 10th exams. I did the ad shoot in three days! I wrote the exam in the morning and shot my ad for the 2pm call sheet,” she recalls. And looks like the trend stuck, since she’s still juggling tight schedules even today!
If it weren’t for the Fair and Lovely ad, the South industry may have missed out on this talent altogether. “Directors scan ads for new faces and someone saw my ad and selected me for Shree, my first Telugu film.” she explains. In her 11th Std, she did Kedi, followed by Vyapari in the 12th.
The girl already had nerves of steel by the looks of it and the lack of a hit didn’t affect her, “Till I came to the South, I wasn’t really aware of such a large film industry here. At 14 ½, I was more than grateful for all these opportunities. I didn’t care about success or failure because I could go back anytime,” she reasons. But when Sekhar Kammula’s Happy Days became a hit, it sure felt good. She was hooked and there’s been no looking back since.
The balanced outlook of her early years seems to have stuck on. Even recently, when some of her films haven’t done well, Tamannaah just seems to calmly move onto her next. “Success is not in anyone’s hands. I just want to be part of good projects where I do my job fully,” she says simply.
Living a dream
Today, including her projects on hand, she is 22 films old. “Siruthai was my 16th film. I now have Hari’s Vengai opposite Dhanush, 100% Love with Naga Chaitanya, Badrinath with Allu Arjun, a Surender Reddy film with Jr NTR, another directed by Karunakaran with Ram followed by Sampath Nandi’s film with Ram Charan Tej,” she says. For someone who started working so early in life, Tamannaah sure has grown up fast but it’s only now that she has learnt to take a breather, “Starting so young, I have always been playing roles of girls older than myself! So I have been striving to learn through imitation. But now I am less nervous and enjoy just being there, controlled and relaxed at work with my co-stars.”
Another change is towards food and fitness. “Earlier I binged on junk food. I never cared about diet and exercise. But I learnt that to realize my optimum potential and manage my hectic schedule, good health was vital. For the past year, my trainer and diet have helped me cope with my stressful life. Now I am eating more than before, only it’s not junk food! Another matter that everything healthy tastes really bad!” she jokes, crackling up in sudden laughter.
Can actors be friends? “Yes!” comes the reply. “Friendship is about people, not their professions. However, if there’s a sense of competition then you can’t be real friends. Poonam Bajwa and Devika are good friends of mine, so is Samantha.”
Not many know Tamannaah’s other side. “I’ve always been spiritual. I believe in God though I am not ritualistic. I’m very curious about enlightenment. I feel we magnify our problems. If we realize we are not so important after all, life would be happier. I love Osho’s ‘The Art of Dying’. I’ve learnt the importance of living each day and not worrying about the future,” she philosophizes. Who would have thought such a pensive mind accompanied those pretty eyes?
Probe further and you discover the secret behind the sparkling smile that makes men go weak-kneed, “I’m a very positive person. I want to see people happy around me. Even the films I watch are positive ones!” she grins.
The road ahead…
For one so young, she sure has the future mapped out clearly. “2011 began well with Siruthai. I have good roles and am overwhelmed by the amount of work. My concern is to do justice to it. Right now, I am highly satisfied with life. If I asked for more, I would vomit!” And her parting shot encapsulates her attitude to life and work and is perhaps the reason why Tamannaah has reached where she has, despite the hiccups along the way. “You are only as good as your last film. My film’s success is not in my hands. I don’t know how my films will fare, but I should fare better!” signs off the girl whose head may be among the stars, but her feet are firmly grounded!
My best friend: My brother Anand
Movies I enjoyed: I saw Dilwale Dulhaniya… 25 times. But now I prefer comedies. The Hangover was hilarious.
I admire: Shahrukh Khan for his warm vibes
What love means to me: When every ‘I’ turns into ‘You’.
About social networking: I am on Facebook to connect with my friends. I’m not on Twitter.
Craziest moment: To get an off-day to dub, I feigned a stomach ache in school. It was the first time I acted and felt very brave when I succeeded!
I enjoy: Dancing. I want to train in Kathak someday.
To a lonely island: I would take nobody! The point is to be alone, right?
In my bag: You would find my iPhone, some money, my camera, glasses and God’s photo.
I collect: Jackets!
Favorite foods: Nachos and cheese
A confession: I’m very diplomatic.
What scares me: Making my family unhappy for any reason.
I want to become: More carefree and less conscious about the small stuff.
My sex appeal: That’s for others to say! I would say, it lies in the whole package. It’s more about the way I talk than the way I look.
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