JOIN US'I didn't get to prove myself'
Actress Harshika Poonacha says her stint at ‘Bigg Boss Kannada Season 2’ hasn’t changed her in the least.
“Reality shows aren’t going to change me. It was a different experience of course because although most people think it is scripted, it isn’t like that at all. But I didn’t get to learn anything from the show and it is better on the outside,” says the ‘Thamassu’ actress.
Talking about her two weeks on the show, she says, “It was a very frustrating time for me because I didn’t get to perform anything, do anything entertaining or even a physical task — I didn’t get to prove myself. As an actress, that’s what I am trained to do. It wasn’t right how they portrayed me — it was a ‘khatta-meetha’ experience.”
But she enjoyed her time with host Sudeep. “Sudeep sir would make fun of me for exiting and entering the show. He would say that I must know each corner of the stage by now! Initially I used to think he was strict because he doesn’t talk much but I was wrong. He’s very sweet and I have no regrets about going on the show.”
Soon after ‘Bigg Boss Kannada’, the ‘Jackie’ actress went on to participate in Ganesh’s ‘Super Minute’, where she faced off against last year’s ‘Bigg Boss’ winner, Vijay Raghavendra, in the finals.
“When I won against Vijay, my fans wrote to me saying that I’m no less that a ‘Bigg Boss’ winner and that I’ve proved myself because you need physical and mental strength to win ‘Super Minute’.”
Harshika has been using her time fruitfully. She has a Telugu movie ‘Panipuri’, which is a comedy entertainer coming out this year. The movie also stars Naresh Babu, brother of Telugu star, Mahesh Babu, and Surya Teja. She says this is a good launch for her into the
Telugu film industry.
The actress is also working in two Kannada films — ‘Gulabi Street’ and ‘Ready’. The former tells the tale of models in the fashion industry and the so-called glamourous life they live.
Harshika says that this is a commentary on how models are treated in the fashion industry and she has a big part to play in the film.
“I like scripts where the heroine has an equal role to play. This is difficult in the Kannada film industry, so it’s fine if the films are hero-oriented, but the heroine should be there for more than just two or three scenes or songs.”
She adds, “People shouldn’t say that the actress just came and went. They should say that the hero and heroine portrayed their characters equally well and that the woman had a role in the film.” Along with a strong script, Harshika looks out for good co-actors and directors. “The director should be someone who is on the same wavelength as you are and can understand you as an actor.”