Chandini Tamilarasan, the upcoming South Indian actress, introduced by K Bhagyaraj to the movie world, now, for the first time going to appear on Telugu screens through the film ‘Kaalicharan’, written and directed by Praveen Sri. The film is an action thriller, with Chaitanya and Chandini as lead pair. In an exclusive interview with Ragalahari, Chandini shared few of her experiences with us.
Hi Chandini, so ‘Kaalicharan’ is your first Telugu film?
Yes, ‘Kaalicharan’ is my first Telugu film.
Ok, what’s Chandini’s background?
I’m from Chennai. I completed my graduation in Ethiraj College, Chennai. I did Visual Communication.
Why did you want to become an actress?
I never wanted to become an actress. After schooling I took part in a beauty pageant called ‘Miss Chennai’ and I won Miss Photogenic. I was also the third runner up. This pageant changed my life. After that I got so many offers. With the support of my parents, I just wanted to give films a try.
What kind of training have you had before entering into films?
As I said before, my entry into films was not planned and I didn’t go through any training. I was blessed to work with K Bhagyaraj sir in my first film. He completely trained and molded me like an actress. All the credit goes to him.
What was the experience of your first acting role?
I was very scared and nervous as I didn’t know anything about films. To be working with a legendary director in my very first film was very challenging at the same time had a very god learning experience. My first film was completely a very good learning experience for me. It was like going to school everyday.
Give our readers a brief idea about the story of ‘Kaalicharan’.
‘Kaalicharan’ is a very realistic film with commercial elements. I’m very happy to be a part of this film which is for everyone. You will feel very happy to see this kind of a film in Telugu Cinema.
Tell us about your audition for the role in ‘Kaalicharan’.
I didn’t have to audition for this role. Actually Praveen sir happened to see a pic of mine on the cover page of a magazine when he had travelled to Chennai. So he had come to Chennai to meet me. By looking at me, he thought that I would be perfect for the role and that’s how ‘Kaalicharan’ happened.
What kind of role did you play in the film?
I played the role of Theertha, a Brahmin girl in the movie. I really loved playing the role of Theertha.
We heard that there is lot of scope for performance too. Did you do any homework for it?
Since the film is set in the backdrop of 80s, I had to work on my look and body language. Other than that, it was not too tough because I was guided very well by my director and I just did what he asked me to do.
How was your rapport with the film crew on and off the sets?
The team was excellent and though I was a newcomer everyone was very supportive and treated me well and helped me pick the language fast.
In what locations did the film shoot take place?
We had to recreate the magic of 80s. Hence we shot in the outskirts of Hyderabad. The only tough part was the distance. We had to travel everyone as the locations were really far from the city.
A few words about the director, hero and producer too.
Director Pravin gaaru was extremely supportive and he brought out the best in me. He is a very hard-working and sincere person. I really admired his working style.
Hero Chaitanya is very sweet. We had a good rapport on the sets. He helped me a lot with the language and was always willing to give in inputs to improvise the scene.
Which is your favourite track in ‘Kaalicharan’ playlist?
The album is a masterpiece. I totally love all songs. But I always keep humming, Kurisi Kurisi….’ And ‘Naa Nenu…’.
Your favourite scene?
I like my introduction scene.
How do you manage while doing romantic scenes?
I don’t really find it difficult. For me, it’s just like emoting for any other scene.
Do you have any other projects that you are working on now?
I’m doing a couple of projects in Tamil. I haven’t signed anything in Telugu yet. Waiting for a good script.
Is there any specific kind of role that you would love to play in your next film?
Not really! I don’t want to be categorized. I’m open to all kind of roles provided it fits in my comfort levels.
What director would you most like to work with?
Maniratnam sir and Rajamouli sir.
If you could change one thing about the film industry, what would it be?
I’m just taking my baby steps in the industry here. The film industry is vast and is perfect as it is.
If show business doesn’t work, what will you do?
From the beginning of my career, I had given equal importance to education. Hoping for the best. If things don’t fall in place I would happily pursuing my further education.
What are the challengers you are facing now?
Not really. Anything. Just waiting for my work in ‘Kaalicharan’ to be excepted well by the audience. .
Heroines of late are exposing too much when compared to the recent past. Do you think it’s necessary to do so?
Glam is definitely necessary for any heroine. But to the extent heroines want to expose varies from person to person. It’s always a a personal choice. Your success will not depend on how much you expose. I will do glam roles but it should be within my glam quotient.
Have you had any bad experiences in the film industry?
Thankfully, No!
Which actress do you admire most and why?
My most favourite actress has always been Sridevi.
Who is your dream hero in Tollywood?
Tollywood has a lot of leading actors and I really want to work with each and every actor.
What have you learnt from your previous films?
I always wanted to be better than what I was yesterday. I’m progressing as an actress from film to film and I’m happy with this progress.
Thank you Chandini. All the best for ‘Kaalicharan’ and for your future films.
___Radhika Andluri ([email protected])
