An Exclusive Interview With Reema Sen

Reema Sen was introduced to the Telugu film industry through 'Chitram'. Later she worked for some four Telugu movies. After 'Adrushtam' she is playing in one Telugu film. During the gap, she acted in some Tamil movies. We can expect Reema Sen to perform in some more Telugu movies in the days to come. Presently Reema Sen is busy playing opposite Sasikanth for a film being produced on the banner of Villa Arts.

You did some Telugu films continuously. After Adrushtam you took a break and now doing this film. What did you do during the gap?
'Adrushtam' was released in July last year. Later, I played in two Tamil films 'Bhagavati' and Dhool', with the later a big hit. Again, I resumed my films in Telugu with this film.

Will you explain your character in this film?
It is a love story. I liked the screenplay very much and at the same time my role in the film. The director is moulding my character in an interesting way.

What kind of roles do you like to play personally?
An artiste should do all kinds of characters and enthrall the audiences. This is my personal opinion. Generally I would like to do a character, which is different from the routine. Everyone will have some dream roles and I am not an exception to it. My dream role is of a woman, who was in neck-deep troubles, full of tears, which will always irk its family members. I like to cry a lot and my dream role is almost similar to it. If I get one such opportunity, I don't lose the chance.

You are playing in Telugu or Tamil films. What about Hindi films?
Presently, I am playing in a Hindi film. Signed for two more films in Hindi. I am not losing the opportunities whenever I get them from the Bollywood. But it is the Telugu and Tamil films that elevated me as an artiste. I did good characters in both the language films. There is good response in both the languages for me. It is rare that an artiste get good response in more than one language. However, it was rumoured that I am craving for Bollywood, as I did not work in Telugu films after 'Adrushtam' and accepted a Hindi film. You know that there are Telugu and Tamil directors who were working for Hindi films. It doesn't mean that they are neglecting the South Indian film industry. Like that, I too accepted one or two Hindi films, when I got an opportunity. Whenever I sign for a film, I just don't look at the language. I only look at the subject and my character. That was the reason, why I accepted 'Bhagavati and Dhool' in Tamil.

  You have an experience of acting in around five Telugu films. Hope you must have overcome the language barrier now? How did you feel when you first entered the Telugu film industry?
In my debut film 'Chitram', there were not many dialogues. Many of them were expressions. The shooting was held in a healthy atmosphere, as many of the artistes including hero Udaykiran and director Teja were new to the profession. I did never face any problem with language. I understand what the director says and perform accordingly. In most of the films, I played with directors who were also novices.

Where did you do shopping? What kind of experience did you face while shopping in Hyderabad?
Mostly I do my shopping in Mumbai and abroad. Once or twice, I went for a shopping in Lifestyle and Shoppers Shop. When I went there, I wore routine Jeans and T shirt, with a pony tail tied with an ordinary rubber band. When I asked for certain items, she casually showed me the articles without noticing me. After a few minutes, she recognised me and became a little tense. She kept on displaying and supplying me all my items with a surprise. But I have completed my shopping casually.

What kind of dishes did you like in Hyderabad?
I like Idly and white-chutney [pickle made of coconut]. I used to this kind of tiffin while I am shooting for 'Chitram'. I also like pickles in Hyderabad. My hairdresser used to get pickle bottles for me. I also like homemade chicken and mutton in non-vegetarian food. But in Hyderabad, I get them from hotels, because they cook non-veg items excellently.

Did you take training in acting or dance?
No. I did never take any training either in acting or in dance, or in dialogue modulation.

Will your parents accompany you to film shootings?
Very rarely they accompany me to shooting, not always. I take my profession in a sincere manner. I don't feel that I am going for a picnic whenever I attend a film shooting. So, I don't expect my parents accompany me always. I do so, when I was forced to stay somewhere else for a film shooting and whenever I feel like staying with them. Even if my mother comes to the shooting spot, she did never order for anything nor did she suggest anything on costumes.

We believe you have a nine-year-old sister. Did she accompany you to the shootings?
Of course, she is now 10-year-old. Though she is my younger sister, she behaves like my mother. Always enquires whether I completed my exercise and lunch/dinner? She always advises me not to eat more as I would become obese. She is doing her Fourth Standard now. I don't show interest to take her to the shooting spots. But she is interested in watching me dancing, whenever a song is canned. At that time, I used to take her with me and send her after an hour or so.

Do you bother about her studies?
Yes, whenever I find time, I watch her and her studies. I will be very friendly with her generally. But I will be very strict whenever it comes to education, than my mother.

Here the summer is very hot. What kind of steps you take to safeguard your skin?
My skin is quite good. I don't face many skin-related problems. I generally find drying of skin after the completion of shooting because of the hot environment. So, I apply some baby oil and wash it with warm water. I generally don't take special care about health or do exercises. I take good food and coconut water during summer. In fact, I am a lazy girl. I looked a bit obese in 'Manasantha Nuvve and Seema Simham' as I did not take enough precautions. I noticed the difference and stopped taking heavy food, besides doing exercises. I generally exercise for around 45 minutes. You know well that walking is also a good exercise.

What is your opinion on acting?
That you should tell me, because I only think how best I could perform my character. Whenever I find myself on the screen, I wonder whether it is me who turned eyes or hands like that. I do whatever the director say in my own style. But when I watch it on the screen I surprise whether I myself did it?

Do you like to play in one film at a time or don't mind to play in two or more films together?
I can do two films simultaneously. I played in five films concurrently. So, I did not find time and felt very tired. There is a danger of getting vexed with the profession if we don't find time to relax. Normally, I like this profession and to continue in the job, I should not accept playing more than two films simultaneously. At times we get good characters, so I don't want lose such opportunities, hence the five films doing together.

What is your opinion on love? Do you support a love marriage or arranged marriage?
I support love marriages. Because of love marriage, the boy and girl could understand each other well before their marriage itself. This is not possible in arranged marriages.

In this backdrop, can we expect that yours will be a love marriage?
You can, I don't mind. I don't say no, if my parents arrange a groom, whom I know or I have the opportunity to know about him earlier. For me, it is not the question whether it is a love marriage or arranged marriage. I strongly feel that I should know well about the person, whom I am going to marry. I just refuse to marry a boy, whom I don't know. But my marriage would be done only with the acceptance of my parents.