Art & Entertainment

‘I Was Lucky To Always Be A Leading Lady’

Advertisement

‘I Was Lucky To Always Be A Leading Lady’
info_icon
info_icon

I had moved to Chennai (then called Madras) when I was 16 because I was acting in Telugu films. I was 17 when I debuted in a Tamil film (Dharmathin Thalaivan) and then in a Kannada film (Ranadheera). The responsibility of looking after my mother and three brothers was all I thought about and my focus therefore was to make a career. All I did those days was go to the studio for shooting and come back home to the place we had rented in R.A. Puram. I did not know anybody, did not have any friends and, in fact, did not even know the roads in Madras. I consider myself lucky that in whichever language (whether in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Tamil) I debuted in, I was always the leading lady.

Advertisement

Was I scared at being 17 in this adult world? Not at all. I was always optimistic, I never worried about how I would take care of my family. Although I dropped out of school at 14, I must say I was in good hands. My director, producers always treated me like a kid who should be protected. I’ve heard stories about actresses saying they were exploited, but it did not happen to me. I think it all depends on your behaviour and how you conduct yourself.

I have no regrets that in my teen years I did not lead a life of being carefree. But I want my two girls Avanthika and Ananditha to have a normal childhood—I want them go to college, bunk classes. And I would like them to choose their own career paths.

Advertisement

As Told To Pushpa Iyengar

Khushboo is an actress, producer, television host and DMK member

Tags

    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Advertisement

    Advertisement