‘It is difficult to reprise a role’

South Indian actress Bhavana says she was apprehensive about working in ‘99’ as it was a remake

Actress Bhavana has established herself as a bankable actress through her promising performances in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu cinema.
She made her acting debut with Malayalam film ‘Nammal’ in 2002, since then she has appeared in over 75 films. Her latest release ‘99’, a remake of the Tamil blockbuster ‘96’, hit the screens on May 1.

In a candid interview with Rakshitha M N, Bhavana talks about her latest release, her career and more.

Growing up you were surrounded by people from film industry. Did that affect your decision making acting your career?
I think it did. My dad, a cinematographer, used to share his location stories with us, and there was always a part of me that wanted to be a part of them. I started acting when I was 15. The journey has not been that difficult; opportunities started pouring in without me looking for it once I finished high school.

‘Jackie’, ‘Tagaru’, ‘Vishnuvardhana’ are your Kannada hits. How has the journey been in the industry?
The journey has been fantastic. I had got a few calls from Sandalwood even before ‘Jackie’. I had either no dates or I was not sure about the projects. But when I got a call for the ‘Jackie’ team, I did my research and was convinced that this was the right time for me to venture into the Kannada industry. And, looking at the warmth, love and support I have been receiving, I take it that I am doing a good job here.

Your thoughts on ‘99’? Tell us about your role.
As an actor, I have never encouraged remakes. I am hesitant for two reasons -- I personally do not like it and it is difficult to reprise another role which has already been portrayed. Although ‘Yaare Koogadali’ was also a remake, I had a lot of thoughts before I agreed to do ‘99’.

‘96’ was a hit in Tamil. And, moreover, since it released last year, everything is still fresh in people’s minds. But as a project it was very appealing.

I play the role of ‘Jaanu’, which is not the regular cliche role where the heroine waits until a man comes and rescues her. Jaanu is a practical, educated woman, who knows how to prioritise things. I have tried to create my own version of the character. There’s also a cute love story helmed inside of all this. On the whole, the film is a good family entertainer.

What genre of films do you usually like working on?
I like all kinds of films, be it a thriller, romantic drama. But I am a bit hesitant when it comes to action films as I think I might not be able to do justice to it.

I like comedy films better. I have worked on a lot of comedy films in Malayalam. If I get an opportunity to work in a Kannada comedy film with a good script, then I might consider it.

How do you like Bengaluru? Tell us about your connection with the city.
The first time I visited Bengaluru was while shooting for a Tamil film. I fell in love with the city’s weather since then. Even while growing in Kerala, I always thought of Bengaluru as this top class city, tailor-made for youngsters. Once I started doing Kannada films, it became my second home. Now that I live here, I have started to explore the city.

Your advice to youngsters.
The only advice is to work hard and follow their passion. I see a lot of youngsters come up with short films and documentaries these days. I think cinema is no longer the only medium of entertainment.