Actress Shanthi Priya, who was seen in films like Saugandh (1991),Phool Aur Angaar (1993) and Veerta (1993) quit movies in the late 90s to focus on her personal life. Now, she is all set to return to showbiz with a biopic.

Ask her if missed being away from the camera and she shares, “I don’t have any regrets. I took a break to focus on my duties as a mother and a wife. I think I have fulfilled all my duties and now I am back to where I belong.”

Shanthi Priya, who tried her hand at television in the last decade, says that she feels inspired when she sees the actresses of the current generation. “Today, I see that not only actresses who are married are facing the camera, but also those who are mothers return to showbiz after their maternity leave. I am glad that my sons, too, pushed me to get back to what I like doing the most — acting,” she says.

The actress will return to the big screen as Sarojini Naidu in a biopic on the freedom fighter. Talking about the project, she says, “It is a pan-India movie and will be made in four different languages — Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi. The film will go on floors in June. I have a lot of prep to do before we start shooting. There are hardly any reels or clippings to observe Sarojini Naidu’s mannerisms. I need to get her body language right before I start shooting. I am very excited for this one.”

From taking a 200-member crew to the United Kingdom to shoot a film from start to finish amid the Coronavirus pandemic last year, to wrapping up five films since then, Akshay Kumar has been leading by example. In a chat with us, the actor divulges what led to the decision of releasing Bellbottom in theatres at a time when they aren’t operating in full capacity, and how he drew inspiration from frontline workers. Excerpts:

I still remember that flight, being on the tarmac with a crew of 200 plus members. Everyone was quiet while we were about to take off, as there was so much uncertainty and apprehension, the underlying fear that anytime, we’d get a call about a change in rules and regulations, and we won’t be able to fly. But, as soon as we were airborne, the entire crew screamed in jubilation, almost deafening. That was such a special, liberating moment... maybe my most memorable flight till date!

I can’t comment about others, but I am going about doing business as usual. I’ve already completed five films during the pandemic. And, I’m onto the next one, Cinderella, with the same team as BellBottom, directed by Ranjit Tewari. But then, this has always been the way I’ve worked — doing an average of four films a year. Yes, the avenues to showcase our films may change a little. I know even before shoot begins, that some films are being planned for an OTT release only. Also, another term I have recently learnt is hybrid release — when a film releases in theatres and on an OTT platform, simultaneously. One way or another, the show must and will go on.

Some of the memes are really funny. The recent one, which was a still from my film Saugandh (1991), of me with a stick, read ‘Akshay Kumar preparing for Neeraj Chopra biopic’. Jokes aside, it actually feels good. The worst thing for an actor is to be missing from public memory. I guess this whole experiment of juggling different genres seems to be working.

I pick subjects which I find entertaining. If they help convey a message to the audience, it’s the icing on the cake. As far as jingoism is concerned, it’s a conscious choice. If you overdo something, audiences can see through it. I prefer to keep it to a degree which is believable. The idea is to make audiences aware of stories of India’s unsung heroes, honour them and instil a sense of pride for their achievements. If we manage to do that much, mission accomplished!

We have so many interesting, untapped stories in our country. For instance, when I did Airlift, I didn’t know something like this had happened, and to this day, it’s the biggest civilian evacuation in aviation history. Many people weren’t aware of this fascinating story. Same was the case with Gold, Kesari, Mission Mangal (2019), etc. I love real-life stories, and when I hear of an extraordinary incident, I get all the more fascinated. I feel more people should know about it, and there begins the process of filmmaking. BellBottom is no different, it’s a story based on events of India’s first covert operation.

When Ranjit narrated the story to me, we knew it would be tricky to cast for the character of Indira Gandhi, but we had to get it right. Mrs Gandhi had a certain body language and gravitas, which I felt Lara could bring to the character, and look what an amazing job she has done. Congratulations to the makeup artist, Vikram Gaikwad, and his team for pulling off the look.

It did earlier, but with time, I’ve learnt that the lesser time you spend mulling over things which aren’t in your control, the happier you’ll be. We had two choices — sulk and postpone again, or go ahead and let the film decide its fate. Taking control of what’s in our hands, we chose the latter.

I’ll have to redirect this question to two people, God and Rohit Shetty (laughs). In case you have an update, let me also know! On a serious note, with BellBottom, we’ve taken a step ahead of returning to the big screen. Hopefully, the results will give others confidence to follow suit.

Last year, most of us had the privilege to stay safe and work from home. But doctors, policemen and essential service providers didn’t have that choice. They continued doing their jobs, despite the looming fear. I took inspiration from them. The only job I know is to act, so I decided to get back to work. I have been fortunate to have cooperative producers and directors who agreed to resume shooting amid the pandemic. And, I’m glad if one decision, in turn, helped people who are associated with me to get back to their normal livelihood as well.

I have been very fortunate that such diverse roles have come my way. Earlier in my career, I’d gotten too comfortable as an action hero. It was sheer luck that Priyan (director Priyadarshan) sir offered and convinced me to do Hera Pheri, which helped me step out of my comfort zone. The reward of that one risk of trying to do something totally new, taught me to keep an open mind and play different roles, be it a transgender character, a homosexual or Pad Man. In a way, I’m still reaping the benefits of Hera Pheri.

An entire section of MG Road, Bangalore, came to a standstill with a large number of people crowding together just to be able to get a glimpse of Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar during his visit to the Bangalore Times office. The actor spoke about the challenges of working with an animal, of what entertainment means to him and on the importance of retaining the magic in the world of films. Excerpts: 

What's your idea of entertainment?
When we were kids, my father, mother, sister and I would make it a point to watch one movie every week, on Saturdays. It was so essential for us to be entertained through movie media that it was the only way we could be happy . Believe it or not, we would skip breakfast to save money to be able to afford a movie at Roopam Cinemas, Mumbai, a samosa at Gurukrupa, a mango ice candy, and if we saved enough, some popcorn too. Even today, I make it a point to watch as many films as possible. I just enjoy watching the magic unfurl on the big screen. I don't analyse or critique them.

What do you mean by magic on screen?
Recently, I was at a magic show and I knew what went into three of the tricks, and that really spoilt it for me. Similarly, I think it's nice to retain the magic of a film without telling the viewer everything that went into the making. When fans watch a film, they want to see the hero doing larger-than-life things on screen. But if they find out the truth they will no longer feel the same enthusiasm while watching the film. I feel even the making of a film, that we often show at the end of the film these days, should only show some candid moments from the set and not reveal tricks of the trade. Why show the audience things like a hero suspended from cables while doing a high-octane action sequence when they can believe that he actually jumped off without technical support. That would ruin the movie watching experience.

There's a film cliché that says never work with children and animals. Is that true?
I wonder why the cliché exists because honestly, the most beautiful of films are those about kids and animals. On the contrary, I think Hollywood makes about four to five films with children and animals every year. But I wonder why these genres have been neglected in Indian cinema. It has been almost 18 years since we have had a film that features animals. That said, I will not deny the fact that it requires a lot of patience to work with children and animals. You can never predict how a child will behave while shooting. Even while shooting with the dog for Entertainment, there were times when Junior (aka Entertainment) would suddenly walk away and be by himself.

How important is it to be well-versed with the various skills required to be an actor these days?
Today, it's very important. Previously, we had dedicated actors for certain genres, like Mehmood and I S Johar for comedy. However, today, every actor should know comedy, driving, stunts, horse-riding, swimming, rock-climbing and other such skills. The more skilled an actor is, the more likely it is for him to be chosen over others. Even today, I make it a point to learn new skills wherever I go.

Is there any genre you particular like working with?
I do attempt different genres as and when I can. Though, I would particularly enjoy playing the villain. A villain is one guy who has the most fun on screen. He is the one who is seen having a lavish lifestyle, has the most beautiful girls around him, and living life king-size. He only has to get beaten up by the hero in the last five minutes, whereas the hero has to slog it out right through - often struggling to save either his mother or sister from the villain.

Which genre is physically more challenging - action or comedy?
Undoubtedly, comedy. If you ask any big actor from across the world, you'll get the same answer. To do the comic role is extremely challenging because it's very difficult to make people laugh. The jokes always need to be rightly timed and well said in order to have the right impact.

You're a dog lover yourself. Was it, therefore, easier to work with Junior?
Yes, in a way. I think dogs are able to sense a dog lover and warm up to them easily and they immediately realise that they have a place in your heart. Interestingly, Junior had got so attached to me that while we were shooting during our last shot, I feel he somehow sensed it was the end of our shoot together. It might be coincidence, but when we were wrapping up with a photo-shoot, Junior suddenly started licking my face. Since, there was a video camera to capture the making of the film we were able to add this moment in the film.

Would you do a non-commercial film?
If I get a good script, I will. I have tried my hand at it. I've done a couple, but they weren't well received.
Probably, people didn't understand it at that time, but Bollywood is changing. Now is the time for good cinema considering there are so many new ideas, directors and writers. There are interesting scripts, but people still want commercial elements along with an unusual story . They still want that one item number in the film.

You visit Bangalore often. How do you feel about the city?
My first film Saugandh was shot here and I've also worked with Dr Vishnuvardhan in the Kannada film Vishnu Vijaya. Many of my hit films have been shot here. So, Bangalore is dear to my heart. The weather is beautiful, but the traffic only seems to be increasing. I don't understand how people walk here anymore.

Have you had a Bangalore girlfriend?
Must have.