Kushboo makes a comeback

The new Pawan Kalyan rabblerouser Agnyaathavaasi, which opened on  Wednesday, marks the  return  of  Tamil veteran  actress Kushboo to Telugu cinema after 10 years.

Speaking exclusively to this writer, Kushboo, a busy politician these days with the Congress party, took time off to explain why she chose to make a comeback in a Pawan Kalyan  film.

Says the actress who was last seen in Telugu in S S Rajmouli's costume drama Yamadonga, "I have been away from cinema, and not just in Telugu, for a long time. For me to do a film again, especially in Telugu, it was very important that I play a very vital role and I loved my role in Agnyaathavaas  when director  Trivikram offered me this."

In fact, the director says Kushboo, who at one  point did  films simultaneously  in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and  Kannada, was adamant that she  would do the role. 

“After 10 years to do a film in Telugu it had to be a special one. Agnyathavaasi is that special one. The entire set-up was very appealing and eventually rewarding. Pawan and the crew treated me like a member of their family. Trivikram had offered me films earlier. But I was not very keen then as I did not like the roles. This  time he came to me and said, 'Ma'am, you cannot say no to this.' And I didn't say no. How could I? He made an offer  I couldn't resist."

Kushboo  says she enjoyed working with Pawan Kalyan. "Pawan is a very cool co-star. He's a man of a few words but very comfy to work with."

Sadly, Kushboo has not been able to dub her  own  Telugu lines in Agnyaathavaas. "I speak Telugu very well. But my voice was dubbed by Sarita. Does that take away from my performance in   Agnyaathavaas? No, I  don't think so. That character needed  a voice  like Sarita's," she concluded.