The lady is no mama's girl
S.SHIVA KUMAR
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Unlike other PYTs, Ramya is on her own, without her relatives hovering over her. After the stupendous success of Amritadhaare, she now looks forward to her lead role in the Kannada version of Julie
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TRANSIENT Ramya, the biggest Kannada star after Malashree, knows fame is ephemeral Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.
Ramya is on a roll. She's the biggest female star after Malashree. She's had a string of successes with not a single film where she's just a piece of flesh. Her talent is palpable in the initial scenes of Amrithadhare; that they are absolutely contrived and make you squirm in your seat is a different issue. She has a line-up of enviable roles on hand is especially excited about Kavita Lankesh's project in which she may be pitted against arch rival Rakshita.
Meet today's heroine. `Mummy' doesn't chaperone her to the sets or outdoors. She's articulate, wears her heart on her sleeve and is candid enough to admit to mistakes. She makes you feel like a childhood pal. Her boldness could easily be mistaken for brazenness but her head is firmly on her fragile shoulders. Ramya realises that fame is ephemeral.
It's the morning after her birthday bash and her room is full of bouquets of exotic hues. We sit by the poolside at the West End. I wonder what she would think of questions that I perceive "sensitive", but she answers them without batting an eyelid.
Excerpts of the interview:
Were you the kind of kid who had a condescending attitude towards Kannada cinema before joining the industry?
Not really. I was in boarding school. I came home only during the holidays, which was for about three months in a year. Most of my time was spent with cousins and friends. I did watch films like Nanjundi Kalyana, Chinnari Mutha and America America. I watched the cream. Yes, I did watch a lot of English movies but did not look down upon Kannada cinema.
There's this aura of mystery around you. A couple of people who worked with you said you were a nice girl but didn't know anything else. Ramya has a house in Bangalore but lives at the The West End.
I'm a very private person. I don't look for emotional backup. I don't tell my sob stories to anybody if at all I have any. I share a professional relationship with colleagues. Once the film is over I don't keep calling them. People who matter to me know about my parents and me. As long as I'm happy I don't think it should be of anybody's concern. Yes, I live with my mom in Sadashivnagar and my dad in West End.
How did Abhi happen?
I was supposed to do Appu but something happened and Rakshita did the film. I've always won, be it athletics or dramatics in school. My parents have never refused me anything, however expensive. They called me to do the film and then said someone else was doing it. I was taken aback. I swore that I would do a film with the Raj Kumar banner. Rejection is something I cannot take. I was chubby so I toned my body and the next year I got a call again to do Abhi.
Was Rakshita doing Appu the seed for whatever differences you had with her?
Not at all. I think I would not have had films like Akash or Amrithadhaare if I'd done Appu. I have absolutely no regrets. I got a meatier role in Abhi.
I know Rakshita and from whatever little I know about you the problem seems to be that you two are alike.
(laughs) I keep telling her that. The only difference is that she doesn't shy away from doing bold characters. I'm a little shy. I would only comply if the role really requires it. When it comes to revealing she's much bolder. But I know how to put people in place.
People still talk about your intimate scenes with Silambarasan in your Tamil film. Were you coerced?
(chuckles) Nobody can force me. I was coaxed. They said that they needed more glamour in Tamil films. I was naοve and was not aware of camera angles. Now I take care of my costumes so the angles don't matter.
You seem to be lucky in the sense that you are getting meaty roles in a male dominated industry.
My biggest hits are with no heroes in it like Excuse Me which did not have a big star. Lucky yes, but I also am not desperate if I don't have films on hand. I have to hear the script no matter how big the director is. There was a time when the press said Rakshita and Radhika had five films each and Ramya had nothing. If you ask a star about their good films they maybe able to pick about five but all my films have done well.
Are you sensitive to what appears in the press? I think it was the media that had a great time when you and Rakshita had problems.
I think more than me Rakshita fell prey to it. I never said that she was a club dancer. Honestly I haven't watched her films but from whatever I've seen on TV she's a very good dancer. I guess we were very young and the press was waiting for juicy quotes.
You are outspoken but after what's happened to your colleagues in the Tamil film industry do you think twice before speaking your mind?
I think what Kushboo said was misconstrued. It's not the way to treat women, throwing eggs and rotten tomatoes. Everybody has his or her own opinion. What's wrong in saying practise safe sex and a man should not expect his bride to be a virgin. We don't expect the man to be a virgin when we get married. That's discrimination.
You're doing the Kannada version of Julie.
It's the first time I'm wearing short skirts and doing some intimate scenes with Dino Morea. I would giggle every time he came close to me but the rushes are good. They're aesthetically shot. I didn't want to compromise with this film because it's realistic. Every girl goes through these things.
Are you taking your mother's advise to get married?
(laughs loudly) I've had relationships in the past and made mistakes and realised that I'm the kind of person who gives too much to a relationship. Now I've realised that whatever has to happen will happen. So work gets the top priority. People change here and I don't want to become filmi.
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