The legendary starlet Kushboo Sundar, who will next be seen in Sriwass’ Rama Banam, speaks to the Hyderabadi media about her perspective on acting, how she adds her persona to her character, the relatability of her character in Rama Banam, and more.
Amartya Smaran
Actress Kushboo Sundar, one of the most celebrated lady superstars in the country, has reinvented herself time and again, ever so gracefully. She rose to fame as a child artist in the early 80s and soon carved a path for herself as a heroine. As all good things must come to an end, her career as a leading lady dwindled down in the early 2000s.
She’s got a pliable mind. A slump in her career graph didn’t bother her. The Burning Train actress accepted her reality and adapted to current trends. Perhaps, her undeterred focus keeps her relevant even after 37 years since she made her T’wood debut opposite Daggubati Venkatesh in Kaliyuga Pandavulu.
The Kaliyuga Pandavulu actress doesn’t shy away from learning. She’s got no problem whatsoever paying attention to the technique of the younger generation of actresses. Though she loves acting, she feels more like herself when she’s judging skits on ETV’s Extra Jabardasth.
The Telugu audience is no stranger to her. They always have and will love her for her incredible talent and charming looks. This time around, she’ll be seen playing Bhuvaneshwari, a strong independent mother, in Sriwass’ Rama Banam starring Gopichand, Dimple Hayathi, Jagapathi Babu, et al. In her interaction with the local press, she described her character as someone who acts as a catalyst in keeping the family together.
She says she’s done enough dancing, romancing and running around the trees. Now is the time for her to choose roles with substance. The actress admitted to have become really picky when it comes to choosing her characters. If she has to appear for a couple of minutes, those minute moments should and must have significant importance. Or else, she’s not up for the role.
More than an actress or a politician, she likes to call herself a family oriented person. Her biggest take away from Rama Banam? Realising the importance of family relationships!
The legendary starlet worked with several top directors like K. Raghavendra Rao, Balachander, and Bharathiraja, amongst many others. You can only imagine the kind of insights she must have received from them about the craft of acting. Nearly four decades in the industry and Kushboo remains to be a spontaneous actress.
“My approach towards a role has changed!” shared the actress with The Pioneer, when asked about whether her perspective on acting has changed over time. “I am a very spontaneous actor and I’m a lot dependent on my director. I am not a method actor. It’s not like I practise a lot, prepare, and go to the sets. Look! The moment you go to the sets, you realise, ‘Oh! This is not what is expected.’ Whether my performance is brilliant or horrible, the credit entirely goes to the directors(haha).”
The craft of acting is more about adding one’s persona. The idea of playing oneself on the screen is flawed. It’s not really possible. Even if he/she thinks they are playing themself on the screen, one must remember that they’re always bringing something unique to the table. At the least, they’re playing an extended version of their perceived public image.
Here, we have someone who’s got a temple built in her name. That’s the image she’s got. People used to worship her when she was at the top of her game. And, of course, her die hard fans still worship her. She’s learned to play to the tastes of the present day audience. The over-the-top acting no longer works according to the star. She realised the importance of subtle acting and keeping the audience guessing with perfect restraint that’s needed for the character.
We asked her how much of her persona she adds to her characters. She replied, “Every film that I play, I definitely add on to what I can. Until and unless I don’t understand the character, I will not be able to perform.”
“You have to get under the skin of the character,” continued Kushboo adding, “ When I say that, I don’t probably go to a school and learn about my character, but I do my kind of homework.”
In Rama Banam, as we’ve mentioned earlier, Kushboo plays a strong mother. A courageous woman! That’s what she is in the film, but while giving us a lowdown about her role, she said that she resonated the most with the character of Bhuvaneshwari.
“I would say Bhuvaneshwari is a lot like me,” enthused the actress. “Personally, I can take any problem, but if my family has to go through some problem, I become the tigress. Bhuvaneshwari is like that. If you touch my family, I become a wounded tigress! Personally, I am the same. So, it was easy for me to connect with Bhuvaneswari.”
Rama Banam is all set for its release on May 5.
