Creating history with Aithalakadi

The Aithalakadi team recently sent an application to the Limca Book of Records.

Reason -- The film stars 108 Kannada film artistes, including Ravichandran, Sudeep, Vijay, Jaggesh and Vijay Raghavendra. Even action director Thriller Manju appears in a fight sequence.

And you will also see Kannada cinema's 'bad boy', Dharma, shake a leg for the first time. In fact, 23 actors will be seen in one song alone.

In fact, the film's subject is the Kannada film industry!

Neettoo who in the film is cast opposite lead actors Bullet Prakash and Rangayana Raghu, takes rediff.com through her experience of working with her idol Ravichandran, and also discusses her future plans.

How did it feel to share screen space with Ravichandran?

In Aithalakadi, I play Sevanthi, who is a big Ravichandran fan. She befriends Prakash and Raghu, who work in the film industry, just to meet Ravichandran. I even dance with him in the film. It's a dream sequence kind of song, in which I imagine myself to be his film heroine.

The song is just two and a half minutes long. How I wish it was longer!  I am crazy about Ravichandran and just can't remember the number of times I have watched his Prema Loka. I liked Malla too. It has been aesthetically shot. Also he plays a florist in that film, and in this film I play a flower seller.

Ravichandran is a very cool guy. I first interacted with him during an industry event. I remember him asking me why I was so scared of him, as I used to go silent the moment he arrived for rehearsals. He is very observant.

And how was it working with Bullet Prakash and Rangayana Raghu? Was it difficult for you to match their comic timing?

Not really. If anything, they had a tough time matching dance steps with me! Jokes apart, I think we have managed to generate good on-screen chemistry. I have worked with Raghu before and Prakash is a very sweet person. We shared a comfort level.

How did you prepare yourself for Sevanthi's role?

It's just that I had to add a lot of energy to my character. The role also asked for quick walking and talking styles, and I think I've managed that. My long flower braided hair and the flower basket completed the look.

Will we yet again see shades of the tomboy character that you have played in your recent films?

See, the language you'll hear me using will be crass and the pitch in which I speak will be high in this film. But that's only because I am from the slums and you can't expect me to be polished.

As for the tomboy roles I have been essaying, well, I like playing that kind of role, and I think I can carry it off. I started getting offers for such roles after Gaalipata, which shot me to fame. All the same, I don't wish to be repetitive; and I do feel bad at times that I am not getting to experiment with roles. But my responsibility as an actor at the end of the day is to give my 100 per cent to every role I do, whatever it may be. As long as I am okay portraying a particular character and sporting a particular outfit, I have no complaints.

So were the costumes what made you back out of director Om Prakash Rao's Huli?

Yes, costumes were among the many issues that we couldn't mutually agree upon. We did try our best to reach a compromise, but that didn't happen. See in Krishna Nee Lateag Baaro, you saw me in a glamorous role. I wore short skirts in the film, but that's how far I can go. Low neck tops are a big no no with me!

You are doing item songs in films. Is this because you are not getting good scripts as a lead heroine?

Let's call it special appearances, please. If you mean Manasare, well, it was not just the song. I also appeared in a few scenes and people really liked my character in the film.

I have also done a song with Baba Sehgal for the film Puneeth.

But it's not like I'm okaying everything that comes my way. For instance, I refused to do special appearances in Devru and Nee. But if I get a song that I like and feel will portray me well, I will sign on the dotted line. I'm okay doing 10 more special appearances if the idea impresses me. I'm a 'never say never' kind of person!

Tell us about the song for which you shot with Baba Sehgal...

It's a rap song. It was great fun working with him. I mean I used to listen to his songs when I was 11-12 years old. Even when we girls used to walk from home to school, boys on our road used to rag us by singing his Aaja meri gaadi mein baith jaa.. aloud.

I told this to Baba and he made it a point to include a few lines from that song in this new song.

What are your other projects?

There is Karavali Hudugi, which is based on a novel. The plot is set in the 80's and I play a girl from the coastal region. You'll see me mouth Kannada like it's spoken in Kundapur. The story progresses as I shift to Theerthahalli and open a tea stall there.

There is also Baraguru Ramchandrappa's Ugragami in which I play a girl who falls in love with a terrorist.

I am also in talks with Dinesh Babu for a film which will centre around college students and their urge to make a difference in the society.

Also I am hoping Aithalakadi will fetch me good lead roles.

You have also done a few Malayalam films...

Yes, I have acted in Mohan Lal's Photographer. Though the film received a lukewarm response, a song in which I featured became very popular.

I also did a children's film called Oliver Twist. I have acted in the Tulu film Koti Chennaiah as well.

Uzzvaad, a Konkani film was also offered to me. The story spoke of spirituality and I was very excited about the project. However, there has been a delay in its commencement. So I'll see if I have the dates when they approach me again and then go ahead with the film.

What is your preferred genre of cinema?

I would definitely want to do romantic comedies. How I wish something like Friends would be made in Kannada.

I'm also all for rona-dhona, family entertainers. I love the 'Chiffon-saree-and-hair-flying-across-your-face' kind of scenes. But as an actress, I do not want to typecast myself and am very much open to experimentation.