On my pinboard- Dr Bharathi Vishnuvardhan

Dr Bharathi Vishnuvardhan has a repertoire of landmark films studding her career. Lovingly called ‘Muddu Nati’, she is a familiar face in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi apart from Kannada films.

Debuting as a heroine in Kannada with ‘Love in Bangalore’ in 1964, her roles in ‘Sandhya Raga’, ‘Bangarada Manushya’, ‘Bangarada Jineke’, ‘Runa Mukthalu,’ ‘Mane Belagida Sose’ and ‘Devara Gudi’ are unforgettable.

She won the National Award for ‘Best Actress’ for ‘Sandhya Raga’ in 1966 and bagged the Karnataka State Award for ‘Best Actress’ for ‘Srikrishnadevaraya’ in 1969. She has also been honoured with the ‘Rajyotsava Award’.

Musician
M S Subbulakshmi
“I learnt Carnatic music and I used to regularly go to the ‘Ramnavami’ concerts where I have heard M S Subbulakshmi perform. Her sweet voice would always cast a spell on me. The music in the olden days were melodious and the lyrics were meaningful. I listen to a lot of old songs but also relate to new ones. Music has a therapeutic effect on me.”

Cuisine
‘Masala vada’
“I eat simple food and I am least fussy about what I eat. A plate of ‘anna,’ ‘saru’ and ‘masala vada’ are something I enjoy the most. My meal is never complete without ‘Huli Soppu Anna’ and ‘Alugadde Eerulli Huli’. I never found cooking a tedious affair.

Although I don’t want to sound boastful, It would take me only half-an-hour to make a variety of dishes. My husband Vishnuvardhan used to eat with great interest whatever I made and would say that he loved it all.”

Author
S L Byrappa
“Books have always been my constant companion and I have always read with great interest the works of authors like S L Byrappa and Devudu. They have written about real people and important issues. I find their style of writing very thought-provoking. I can never put down any interesting book till I finish it. Reading has not only widened my horizons and deepened my knowledge about a host of issues.”

Travel
Kodaikanal
“Our country has such beautiful places. Every nook and corner is unique and every state has a different story to tell. I never get tired of going back and visiting the backwaters of Kerala. I also love going to Kodaikanal, Pondicherry and Ooty. Their peaceful and serene surroundings always beckon me. I relax whenever I visit these places. I also find these the perfect spots to listen to scripts. The snow-kissed regions of Shimla, Kulu Manali and Mussoorie have been so thoughtfully created by god and I love being there.”

Actor
Vyjayanthimala Bali
“It’s hard to single out one person in the film industry. I think everyone is a brilliant actor in his or her own right. As a college-goer, I have admired the performances of Vyjayanthimala Bali. I would have pictures of her dance poses and songs. My collegemate Radha and I were in the dance team in college and we would try to dance like Vyjayanthimala. I have admired my husband Vishnuvardhan and think he’s a brilliant actor whose work is hard to describe in just a few sentences. He’s incomparable both as a human being and as an actor.”

Inspiration
Subash Chandra Bose
“While growing up, I was inspired by Subash Chandra Bose and Rani Jhansi. They both fought fearlessly against the British and played very decisive roles in securing freedom for our country. I wanted to be like them and trained my mind to be strong like them. My father Ramachandra Rao showed me the way and I drew a lot of strength from him. Apart from them, there are so many others who have inspired me like my teachers in school.” 

(As told to Nina C George)