‘I DON’T BELIEVE IN STARDOM, I JUST BELIEVE IN SALEABILITY’
Kitty parties are slowly resuming in Delhi-NCR, with a slew of changes and safety precautions
Kichcha Sudeep says that for him, it’s all about the revenue the film gets
He is one of Kannada cinema’s biggest stars, but Kichcha Sudeep exudes humility that few actors with his fan following would. Having just completed twenty five years in the industry, the 47-year-old is looking forward to the release of Vikrant Rona, the world’s first film that unraveled its logo at Dubai’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa. In a late night chat with us, the actor, filmmaker and television host talks about competition, aversion to tags, and why he thought he wasn’t big enough to have a makeup man for years.
How does it feel hitting the 25 year milestone?
The feeling remains the same, sir, it doesn’t make a difference. 25 glorious years for me is the fact that I survived for 25 years, because this field has got too much competition these days. First of all, your fans show loyalty, they stick to your films, and come to the theatres to watch you even after all these years. That is a blessing. That I managed to be around for these years and maintain a certain positioning... a lot of people’s contribution went into that. I am happy I am still being able to do what I do, just like how I started my first day. I feel the same about films.
It must have been a special moment to see Burj Khalifa lit up in Dubai recently, to celebrate your journey, along with the launch of your next film Vikrant Rona, isn’t it?
Whatever happened was an entire team’s effort. It takes certain money. Even when Dubai wanted to host me for this milestone... I didn’t expect all this to happen in my life, I am just going out and doing my job. The producers of Vikrant Rona wanted to do certain things. When somebody starts believing in your product, it makes you get up earlier and work better. The way people gathered there, irrespective of the Covid situation… there are humongous restrictions in Dubai, not more than seven people can stand anywhere, there’s a penalty. Keeping all that aside, they wanted to stand. It was a precious moment and it belongs to my team.
What was that one point in your career when you realised you had made it big?
I am not being modest, but I don’t believe in stardom, I just believe in saleability. That is the valuation every actor has. We are not valued by the number of fans we have, but the collections we get at the box office. We all have a fan following, what makes you what you are is the revenue your film gets. That’s the positioning I am talking about. So far, I am still being able to do certain things, have people investing in them, have writers wake up in the morning and write for me. That is a blessing which I am still enjoying.
Not many people know that you still have the same makeup man today, with whom you worked on your first day on set…
He was temporary back then when he started. I didn’t have a makeup person for years, I hadn’t probably grown to a position where I could say I want a personal makeup man! The day I saw he doesn’t have too much work, in the later years, I called him and asked if he would like to stay with me. I had this emotion too that this person had put the first ever makeup on me. He’s a very good guy, a gentleman to have around.
We are not the valued by fans we number of the have, but we get. collections
SUDEEP, KICHCHA actor
#NoteToSelf You cannot build with a person who does not help you carry the bricks. #LifeLessons
Bhagyashree, Actor
After a year-long gap, Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo reopened its gates for visitors on Monday, and it seems Mumbaikars were eager to visit! On day one, the zoo welcomed over 1,400 visitors, and raked in around ₹69,600 in terms of revenue. According to zoo authorities, the major attractions for visitors were the two royal Bengal tigers, Shakti and Karishma, as well as the Humboldt penguins.
Scrumptious food, outdoor gathering, large groups, and fun games — Kitty parties used to be all this and more in the pre-Covid-19 era. But in 2021, there’s a stark difference in how kitty parties are being organised. We speak to members of some kitties across Delhi-NCR.
‘KNEW EACH OTHER’S FAMILY HISTORY BEFORE MEETING’
A Gurugram-based homemaker Isha Bountra shares that she recently went to a get-together with close friends and family. “It was organised at a close friend’s showroom where we knew it was safe and hygienic. We were conscious, but everyone was like family, so we weren’t that rigid. We knew each other’s family history, whether someone was Covid-19 positive in the past or not. It was a bit scary, but we hadn’t seen each other for long, so we met at our own risk,” she says, adding, “Jo ladies kitty hain, unki family se aap itne touch mein nahin hote, toh aap wahan jane mein thoda conservative hote ho. Kyunki aapko nahin pata kaun kaha hai... They also have reservations about resuming again. I am part of more kitties but they haven’t resumed yet. Even the ones we are planning to organise will most likely have neighbours only. Our next meet will be this month as part of the couple kitty. We haven’t been to restaurants as yet... Regularity aane mein bahut time lagega because of coronavirus.”
‘WE WILL BE WEARING MATCHING MASKS’
Reshma Arya, who runs a boutique in the city, is part of a kitty that will be hosting its first meet since the pandemic broke. She shares, “Earlier, we used to have around 20 members at an event; now it’ll be around 12 only. We will most likely be going to a restaurant. We are really excited. There will be a dress code and we will be wearing matching masks! Door door baith ke kaise game khelenge? We will be meeting after a year, and couldn’t be more excited. Sabko itni boriyat ho gayi hai ghar mein. Iss stage mein sabko pata hain ki tabiyat theek hai toh hi aana hai.”
‘ORDER OUR OWN DISHES’
Sangeeta Sahni, a Gurugram resident, says her kitty members meet once a month, and their last was at the Delhi Golf Club. “After a long quarantine, we started with our kitties. It was a get-together with nice chit-chat and good food.” she shares, adding, “But we don’t play games since Covid-19, to maintain safety, and we all sit at a safe distance and order our separate dishes. We plan our kitties at places where sanitisation has been done really well. We have to move on, but this time we need to be a little more cautious than before.
Life has to move on.”
‘EARLIER, KITTY PARTIES MEANT LAVISH FOOD AND DRINKS’
Saroj Gulati , from Sector 28, Noida, says her kitties have shifted to home, now. “Earlier, kitty parties meant lavish food and drinks, but now everything is kept bare minimum. We are meeting to catch up and play cards. And we find our homes safer for this. Initially, we were very hesitant to meet, due to the age factor of the participating ladies. But now, we have started meeting twice a week with precautions. We ensure that the mask is worn by everyone present at all times. We avoid food items and tea. And sanitiser is available in plenty,” she shares.