Tamannaah’s tribute to ‘real game changers’
For someone who doesn’t hail from Mumbai, buying a house in the city is no mean feat. So, when Delhiborn actor Sanya Malhotra bought a space of her own in the city of dreams last year, she called it “the most expensive purchase” ever. But since she had wanted to buy a house for a long time, the decision felt worth it.
“My father had been telling me to invest in a good place in Mumbai for a long time. He felt that instead of paying monthly rent, I could save that money and buy my own house. After all, having your own house is a different experience,” says an elated Sanya.
Having completed a year in her own house, she beams with joy as she shares how it has made it easier for her family to visit her more often now. “Earlier, I used to stay in a one-bedroom set-up, but this house is much bigger and has enough space for my family to stay, whenever they visit me here,” she adds.
The 27-year-old, who made her Bollywood debut with Dangal (2016), has been living away from her family for a couple of years now. She admits she feels homesick every now and then. “I miss Delhi and food cooked by my mother all the time. Whenever it gets too much, I just call them up and they’re sweet enough to take a flight as soon as they can, and visit me. Ek baar toh maine mumma ko raat mein teen baje call karke bola, ‘aap log aa jao’ aur agle din woh aa gaye,” she recalls. Looking back at her initial days in Mumbai, Sanya says she often used to think if she’d ever be able to strengthen her place in the industry. “I wasn’t sure what kind of experience Mumbai would be. But I must admit, it has been a good one. The initial difficulties I faced happen in every profession. But this city gave me a lot and continues to do, in the way my dreams are getting fulfilled. I feel indebted. Over the years, I’ve developed a special bond with Mumbai,” she says.
There’s no stopping actor Tamannaah Bhatia. Having been a part of several South Indian and Hindi films, she will next be seen in a Telugu sports drama, which reunites her with director Sampath Nandi for the third time, after Racha (2012) and Bengal Tiger (2015).
Interestingly, Tamannaah plays a sports coach in the film that goes on the floor in November. Excited to be exploring a new genre, she says, “I share a great comfort level with the director, and I found the script very exciting. Also, sports has intrigued me, so it’s something I’ve been wanting to experiment with.”
The actor further shares that there will be a lot of groundwork that she will have to undergo “right from accent to posture to prepare for this film”.
She says that this role would be a tribute of sorts to coaches like Pullela Gopichand, Ramakant Achrekar, Guru Hanuman, Satpal Singh, as she feels they are the real game changers.
“Coaching is an underrated aspect of any professional sport and that’s why this was even more interesting. While big-name players get most of the credit, the coaches tend to absorb much of the unwarranted blame. But they are still important figureheads, vital to their team’s overall success,” says the 29-year-old.
Shreya Mukherjee