Kollywood Hotshots

Buzz up!When Lyricist Snehan came to the stadium, he urged Namitha to wear the traditional costume of Tamil girls, half saree and skirt. "Yes... it is our cultural dress and if Namitha wears this dress, it will become the favourite dress of young Tamil girls soon", he added. In her reply, Namitha said, "I'm ready and wish to wear the dress mentioned by Snehan. Definitely I will try to wear the same in any one of my future film...".

She was also replied to the allegations made against her for not attending the music launch of her earlier movies. "People should understand that actors too are human beings. There must be a genuine reason when we are not attending events related to a film which we are also a part. We also have health related issues and unavoidable emergencies at home. So please trust us and accept our apologies if we can’t make it to any of the film functions...”

When a scribe asked her about her dressing style, Namitha replied: "I don't like to wear saris. If I wear a sari, lakhs of my male fans’ minds will be polluted due to my extra-ordinary sexy look. In fact I'm saving lakhs of my male fans from abusive and vulgar thinking by not wearing saris.”

Namitha also smiled off the query about her having any grudge against the media. The actress has lately become a bit reclusive for the fourth estate.

“You (mediapersons) are all my machans (brothers-in-law). How can I be angry with you all?” she responded with a smile.

When asked about the rumours that she’s shifting base to Bollywood, Namitha gave a straightforward reply: “I would prefer to remain a queen here rather than do small roles there.”

Answering a question about Nayantara’s reported comment that there’s too much competition among some actresses down south, Namitha said, “Maybe she’s right. But I don’t have any such problems, nor have I encountered any.”

Surprisingly the turnout was amazing and as usual, she made heads turn as she had a casual conversation and Q &A session with the journos.

She said that this meeting was to talk about her Diwali release Jaganmohini, in which she plays the protagonist.

But the questions were mainly on her diet, dress, competition with other heroines, new films and who is her favourite Machan?

She said that all journos are her Machans and she has no Bollywood dreams as she prefers to be a big fish in a small pond rather than being a small fish in a big ocean.

She also added that she is working on two projects in Telugu, one in Kannada and completed a Malayalam film.

Namitha is understandably excited and a wee bit nervous as the hype had been on a level higher than for her earlier movies. She is happy on two counts – the trailers have been well received and the music of 'Isaignani' Ilayaraja has become popular.

Namitha said she had no problem to be called a glamour doll but she also has a deep desire to be known as an actress with talent, one who can also slip into glamour roles. In more ways than one, Jaganmohini means a lot to her. “This is one movie where my character is the pivot with the whole plot revolving around me," says Namitha with great enthusiasm.

Namitha also has the English film Maya to look forward to. But before that, she has to pass the Jaganmohini test. “Yes, it has been playing in my mind right from day one of the shoot,” she said with her typical honesty.

Namitha, who is best known as the sex siren of the industry, says acting with Rajini is a big bonus for any actress. Gautami, who was launched in his film ‘Guru Sishyan’, or Nayantara, who struck gold in her second film as his heroine, have reached dizzying heights largely due to their popularity as Rajini’s heroine.

And Namitha does not want to be let out in the race. “He is a phenomenal actor and it is nothing short of a blessing to work with him. If I act with him, I know I have achieved the pinnacle in my career,” she explains.

Is Rajini’s next director listening?