February 08, 2012 Y. Sunitha Chowdhary
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Dial Lakshmi's number and the song you get to hear on the phone before she picks it up is Dil Kya Kare from Julie..the husky voice is gone and is replaced by a very mature talk, still spirited but a lot more patient. She is busy making rotis, making plans for her daughter (adopted) who's turning twelve and the schedule for the week is tight.
"I don't want to do the same distressed wife, sacrificing mother and other roles, I've made it very clear that I will do cinema only if the role offered has lot of substance. Mithunam by Tanikella Bharani is challenging so I took up it, I've acted wth SPB a number of times. Otherwise my talk shows and Kannada movies take away my time, this is my 43rd year in movies."
The actor avers that they have been oblivious to problems big or small on the sets or at home and the revelations by strangers on the talk show have in fact made her more responsible, sensitive and she tends to treat them as an extended family.
"We have never faced hardships, always been pampered by the industry. This human trafficking, child abuse, incest, illiteracy, women in the country still having just one pair of clothes disturbs me; All they want from me is a patient listening and consolation and if a celebrity does it, it certainly helps. The programme is not recorded, it is live and we had victims of eve teasing walking and we initiated action."
Lakshmi however stresses awareness can be created in the media and talk shows but not through mainstream cinema. "Mainstream cinema is only for entertainment, escapsim. We need fantasy, cinema to forget our worries. I've never thought of entering politics, whatever has to happen should take place from being within the society and fighting for rights."
On being a mother all over again she reacts with a degree of satisfaction and fulfillment. She became a mother when she was 19 but giving someone other than your own child, love and security and ownership after crossing fifties requires courage and a huge heart.
Lakshmi adds, "I would say she adopted us as parents. Our attitude as parents at this stage in life is different, our approach and behaviour is not the same when we are at 19. Lot of people ask me how I'm ageing gracefully; I guess that is no big deal. I colored my hair grey to look old even when I young, when I can do it on screen why have qualms now?
After reaching 40, doesn't your hair grey, don't you walk an extra mile to be slim? Why should I spend lakhs of rupees to tighten my skin, look like a teenager and compete with my grandchildren running behind parlours? I should maintain health, physical and mental and maintain healthy relationships and not like a body whose post-mortem has just been done."
Lakshmi wonders that her life span must have been prolonged because of her responsibility towards her daughter, she says she has no regrets about her life but recollects having a wish of being born as a male. "Our lives are so complicated, as a woman if you want to say no, you got to say yes and if you want to say yes, you are compelled to remain silent and between yes and no we suffer because we don't want arguments we want discussions.
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