Tamannaah Bhatia awaits the theatrical release of 'Gurtunda Seethakalam' ('GS') this Friday (December 9). In this interview, the star actress talks about doing the remake. She praises Satyadev Kancharana and also talks about her choices these days.
The 'F3' actress talks about marriage rumours, her upcoming movies, and more.
Director Nagashekar came with clarity. The output is refreshing. Some subjects are different by virtue of their premise/plot. 'GS' is more like an experience. There are action movies, thrillers... 'GS' is not like them. It's a pleasant film that doesn't intend to jolt the audience. It's an emotional journey.
'GS' is a good space for me to be in. 'Maestro' had me in a negative role. In 'GS', I am literally looking like a fresh face. Moreover, Satyadev is a natural performer who performs in a relatable way. He is charismatic and yet he looks like a guy next door. I watched 'Uma Maheshwara Ugra Roopasya' during the lockdown. I loved his acting in it.
In 'Sye Raa', the screen time my character had was less. It was hardly 5-6 scenes. Those few scenes were impactful and wow. A film needn't be about just me. 'Bubbly Bouncer' had me in a full-fledged role. You can't get such films all the time.
Back in the day, there was this notion that love stories are done by actresses only in the initial days of their careers. Our times have changed, our relationships have changed... 'GS' has been made to show that aspect.
I have done a lot of remakes throughout my career. Like 'Maestro', 'GS' is a remake. These are not unthinking remakes and that's the best part about them. The idea behind 'GS' is to show true romance in contemporary contexts. Love is not just a one-time thing. Every time Satyadev's character in 'GS' falls in love, he undergoes a change in his thinking and perspectives.
In today's times, there is a lot of space for content films and stars like Satyadev and Adivi Sesh. They are getting to play interesting characters these days. I am lucky to enjoy the love of a lot of fans. I am not looking at myself as a star these days. I am looking at myself as an actor. Only then can I offer something new to the audience. Pan-India is not just about a multi-lingual release. It's about catering to various tastes.
Right from the beginning, I have been loved in all sorts of films. I was welcomed when I did '100% Love' and 'Badrinath', two contrasting films in terms of scale and genre, in the same year. I have collaborated with big stars like Tarak and Mahesh Babu garu. When I am cast in big-ticket films, the necessity to dance is more.
For artists, OTT is an additional platform besides theatres where they can showcase their talent.
It has been 17 years since I became an actress. When I started out, I didn't know I would last this long. Of late, female-centric films with lots of themes are coming my way. I want to keep it unpredictable. I am still young and I am trying to keep my choices fresh. I am trying to experiment as much as possible. I am aware that I am not at that stage of career where I can have four movie releases a year. For me, I want to choose only interesting films. I am not desperate for survival.
I am yet to shoot for Chiranjeevi garu's 'Bholaa Shankar'. I will start shooting for it in January. I have got three OTT releases coming up in 2023. One of them is for Disney Plus Hotstar. Another is for Amazon Prime Video. I am also going to do a Malayalam film titled 'Bandra'; it borrows its title from a locality in Mumbai.
I was married to a doctor as per gossip-mongers. Then came the false rumour that I am going to get married to a businessman. Marriage is a beautiful part of someone's life. The love of my life will be the biggest showcase of my life. Neither me nor my parents are in a rush for marriage! I am happy for Hansika, who got married this week.
It might sound cliche, but some of my bad films taught me how to be a person. I changed the way I function because of them. I don't react much to criticism. I care about criticism but I am not offended by it. People can have opinions about me because I am a public figure. Trolling is a part of social media culture.
