Nayanatara has become the talk of the town with her unique appearance in the posters of Sekhar Kammula’s Anaamika. Her acting career has been quite fulfilling in which she was fortunate to act in a variety of roles involving glamour, performance and challenges. Her portrayal of Seetha in Bapu’s Sri Rama Rajyam was commended by the audience as well as critics alike. She recently enthralled the audience with her glamorous performance in Raja Rani which became one of the good this year. On the eve of her latest film Anaamika’s release tomorrow, here is an iQlik exclusive chit chat with the talented actress:
Hello Nayanatara..how are you?
Hi..I am good.
The original version of Anaamika- Kahani in Hindi had Vidya Balan get national award for her performance. Do you aim for awards?
Not at all. I never aim for awards. All it matters for me is whether I do a film with complete conviction and my heartfelt effort. The reason I did Anaamika is because I liked the script as it has great suspense thriller elements.
Have you watched Kahaani before you accepted this script?
Yes. I watched it.
Do you prefer working in remakes in particular?
Well, I am not too fond of remakes or women oriented roles. The main reason for me not opting for women oriented roles is because it is too much of a responsibility. Every aspect needs to be perfect. But when I watched Kahaani I somehow felt it would be a great story to be retold down in the South. While it was Kolkata in the original film, here we showed the Old City area of Hyderabad as one of the main characters of the film. There have been many changes to this version of the film. Anaamika is Kahaani with a different touch.
The original version Kahaani features a pregnant woman searching for her missing husband. However,Anaamika doesn’t have this “pregnancy” feature for your character. Did you suggest anything regarding the same?
It was completely Sekhar’s call. He somehow didn’t want the pregnancy feature in the film. I was indeed very scared to make such change to the film because it is the main connecting point in the film but Sekhar was determined to make a different shade for the film and I had complete trust in his decision.
How was it working with Sekhar Kammula?
(Smiles) Actually I haven’t seen any of his previous work! But yes, I’ve heard so much about his work and the different take he does for his films. After working with him, I understood that he doesn’t quite understand commercial cinema quite well but always has a different viewpoint for whatever he does for a film. He is more close to reality relating to films. But me being a commercial actress, I was wary about how he would portray me in Anaamika. After the film I am extremely happy with the way he portrayed me.
Did you manage to do any homework for the character played in the film? It is because your portrayal looks highly promising in the trailers and promotional material throughout.
I never believed in homework before I portray a role. I always prefer to be spontaneous in how I understand and emote the role. I did have many script discussions prior to the shoot, but regarding the homework part, I always love to be spontaneous.
Was it difficult to carry a film completely on your shoulders this time?
I only wanted to try something new or different after working on so many different roles throughout my career. I feel I reached a stage as an actress where I can experiment with different roles and work along with a talented director like Sekhar Kammula.
How was it working with your co-star Vaibhav in the film?
I’ve worked with Vaibhav for a very short cameo role in a Tamil Film earlier. But as an actor he is excellent and in this film it was great to watch. He is a very sweet actor to work with.
Do you have any personal favorite scene in the film?
There is one scene where Pashupati (Mr.Khan) the police officer speaks with Anaamika in Police Station. I really love the scene where the police officer terrifies Anaamika and how she gives it back it really the defining moment of the film about female empowerment.
How did you find the Old City area of Hyderabad while filming?
I had a very eerie vibe about it. The place itself has something mysterious and we had many shots in the streets and there was no explicit camera equipment to shoot. It was indeed tough to film in real time crowds and realistic environment.
What is the significance of Goddess Durga in the film?
Goddess Durga plays an important role in the film. There is an analogy between Goddess Durga and Anaamika’s character throughout. In fact, the film is set in the backdrop of the navaratri days and each day, a different shade of Anaamika is shown.
What is your take on the Music of Anaamika?
I really loved the song “Kshana Kshanam” for the film. Keeravani sir is always fantastic as a composer and he gave some phenomenal music as well as re-recording for Anaamika.
Do you have anything to say for the audience on the eve of Anaamika's release?
I'd only say go and watch Anaamika for a different cinematic experience. It is not only a thriller film but has a great human value associated with it.
Okay.. Thank you and wish you all the best for your film!
Thanks a lot.