Sridevi’s 20-kilo costume

For Sridevi, Tollywood has always been home. And that’s why when you ask her about her comeback to South with the Tamil film Puli which is also being released in Telugu, she says, “I have never felt like I have been away. I feel like I’m always here. I started my career here. It’s my mother tongue, my roots are here.”

Why a gap of  three years between English Vinglish and Puli? She says, “This role seemed like a contrast from what I had done before. I liked the script and I thought it would be fun doing this movie as it’s a fantasy film.”

And like in every fantasy-adventure film, Puli’s costumes are being talked about. The costumes are all customised and designed by designer Manish Malhotra.
But the look is being appreciated as the actress pulled it off with élan. Point it out to her and she says with a laugh, “That’s for the audience to say. My husband is my biggest critic and he loved my look. Every film of mine he’s very involved so, when he was happy with the look, so was I.”

However, it wasn’t easy to pull it off for the costumes apparently weighed around 20 kgs. “From English Vinglish to this, it has been quite a transition. For English Vinglish, I would take 20 minutes to get ready, just a cotton sari and the no make-up look. But for Puli, just to wear the costume, it would take me over half an hour. And after that hair and make-up would start,” she says, adding with a laugh, “By the end of the day, my hair would look like a stick.”

And does this film indicate her wish to come back to Tollywood? “Why not! Tollywood excites me. Other than that too, there is no language barrier for me. A good script and a good character is all I want. I will be leaving my kids and be at the set for shooting, so the film has to be worth it.”
Rumour is that Sridevi has already been offered many Tollywood films. She says, “There’s nothing on the cards currently. I’m taking a short break again and I’ll be travelling for some time.”

Ask her about life beyond films, and she says, “My children. I don’t see anything beyond them.” A typical day in her life starts quite early, Sridevi says, “I’m very religious and also very health conscious. I’m always on my toes. I can’t be lazing around. When I’m not shooting, I’m with my kids, we watch a film, go shopping or even go to the gym together. I feel a day is not enough. I just want to spend more time with them.”

Recently, there was news about her daughter Jhanvi debuting with Dulquer Salmaan, Mamooty’s son, ask Sridevi about it and she first asks, “Who?”, then with a laugh she adds, “She’s too young. She just graduated. You can’t plan these things. My family or even me, never dreamt I will be in this industry. But here I am. So for her, too, I will leave it on destiny.”