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bollywood hopeful Suchindra CHATS WITH actOr-dancer mom Vyjayantimala Bali
SONRISE IN STARLIGHT
SHE REMAINS Hindi cinema's first dancing queen who paved way for the others, moving sinuously through "Man doley" and exuding energy in "Chad gayo paapi bichua". Vyjayantimala Bali, for many avid film watchers, remains the eternal Chandramukhi from Devdas and the doe-eyed Radha of Sangam. And dance aficionados will always admire her as a Bharatanatya diva who's held her own on stage for over five decades. In Bangalore for a performance of her latest choreography Shri Krishna Janmam, the septuagenarian tugs her son Suchindra Bali to sit down for a chat with BHUMIKA K.
Suchindra, a law grad from Columbia University, chose to move away from his practice to make his debut in Hindi and Tamil films. In the thick of going through scripts in Chennai, he's accompanied mom, whom he manifestly adores, for the concert. The two go into a huddle on how to go about the Take Two. Here's what transpired:
Vyjayantimala: Feels good to be together.
Suchindra: Yeah and be giving an interview together.
V: I'll ask you some questions and you better answer them.
S: I'll try my best!
V: Don't you dare ask me questions I may not like, OK?
S: Achcha, you're kind of ... (with a twinkle in the eye and a tilt of the eyebrow)
V: Putting you on guard (laughs heartily). C'mon I was just joking ya!
S: I know that.
V: (To us) We're friends you know. It's not that mom and son kind of thing.
S: We share a good relationship. We understand each other.
V: We vibe. We even fight, you know.
S: But it's all in the healthy spirit.
V: We are very spontaneous. We quickly react, quickly get happy, angry, or sad... everything is fast. And then we come back. We don't hold on to that irritation.
On cooking
S: I'm not too much of a cook. I just make some basic stuff.
V: How basic?
S: Like eggs.
V: (Incredulously and sarcastically) Eggs? My God! And he says he can make a raitha. What is there to make in that?
S: But still, something is better than nothing. (Both laugh.)
V: But you're lucky I eat what you make. (To us) Not eggs, because I'm a pure vegetarian. But when he makes raitha, OK.
S: (To us) I've learnt to cook because I've been on my own, at boarding, then in the U.S. at Columbia. I used to make rice and daal.
V: Oh, that's so important — to make rice. I do cook for him. Specially on festivals, birthdays and New Year, we like to spend time together.
S: Yeah otherwise she's in Chennai and I'm in Mumbai and I keep shuttling.
Did he choose acting?
V: Ask me! (laughs)
S: Not really. Let me answer that!
V: No, no. I won't let you answer that (laughs heartily).
S: Why?
V: Because this choice was not mine at all, your getting into films.
S: That's why I'm answering it!
V: (Laughs boisterously) Naughty fellow!
S: We had agreed on one thing — that I would complete my education. After that I could do anything. I was interested in modelling and my friends coaxed me to give it a shot and get my portfolio done. That's how I did a couple of assignments in Delhi and pictures were splashed in Tamil papers. That's how it started and I've enjoyed it.
V: Now he's put his foot into it (laughs).
S: I want to prove myself, and stand on my own feet. I've just started out. (He's done two films — Aaanch in Hindi and Kannodu Kanbethellam in Tamil.) I'm hearing two scripts and I want to come in, in a big way.
V: I never went to his sets even on a single day of shooting, but these two films were not bad at all. But today everything has to have a lot of hype, publicity and marketing. It never happened during my time, but now it matters. That didn't happen quite the way it should have for him. I didn't have the slightest inkling he wanted to act. When he asked me, I was pleasantly surprised (and changing her mind) I wouldn't say pleasantly, but I was surprised. As a good mother, I'm being supportive. Children today are like that. They want to find their own path.
On dance
V: What about dancing? What do you think of it? Today the kind of dancing is not what I did in my films!
S: See, dance is dance. There has been a change in trend and you have to keep up with the times. But even then and even now, there's no match, there's no one to touch you when it comes to dancing.
V: Awww oh! (Drawls and laughs.)
S: I'm fairly OK.
V: (Flying to his defence) No, he's got a good sense of rhythm and he's light on his feet. He's quite graceful. He has to prove himself because dancing has become an essential part of films today. Every hero dances. (Laughs) One has to be flexible and agile. I was that and it helped me in my dance. Grace is important.
S: I hope it's there in me.
V: Even when he was acting, he would only tell me about the acting scenes. When I'd ask him about what steps he did in the dance, he would not do them! (Chuckles heartily) He said wait for the film.
S: I wanted her to see it finally. I didn't want her to have a trial.
V: But when I saw the film I was happy. I was pleasantly surprised and I said, `Not bad!'
S: Yeah, but nothing close to what you did...
V: (In vehement protest) No, no, no, no comparisons. There should never be any comparisons, because comparisons are always odious. You should have your individuality... No role models, no image in your mind. If you have to struggle, you have to. Achcha, don't you remember, I did a very bold number. Which film was that? (Almost challenging son's memory.)
S: Sangam! "Main kya karu Raam mujhe budhdha mil gaya."
V: Yaaa, of course!
S: And the best part was that there was no choreographer! (To us) I believe Raj Kapoor gave her the concept and a free hand to do what she wanted.
V: For those times it was a bold number. But it fitted in beautifully with the theme and concept. I would say there was no vulgarity, which I find today in the gestures and movements. I don't know whether you agree. I'm not for baring it all, and for movements that are not aesthetic. The emphasis is only on sex and nothing else. You just want to titillate the masses. Not that I'm old-fashioned or outdated... There are some real good dances even today. I think you have to retain certain Indian sensibilities and culture. I do contemporary pieces in my dance, but I do them with a balance.
On Gemini Ganesan
V: I've worked on quite a few films with him and it's been like knowing the family. His daughters used to learn dance at my school. He always called me `Paapa', my pet name. He had no airs, no qualms, no complexes. And we made some successful films together, the most memorable being Then Nilavu and Vanchikottai Valiban.
What keeps her going?
V: It is all the bhakti in my heart. And the three Ds devotion, dedication and discipline. And this has been my upbringing, thanks to my grandmother Yadugiri Devi and my wonderful husband Dr. Bali. Of course, I've been so involved in dance... I enjoy doing it, and it gives me lot of satisfaction. I'm so engrossed in it that I don't have time for golf. I haven't swung a club for three years. Every year I make a resolution, but don't get back to the game. But this year I'm definitely going back to it. Suchi used to play so well. But he's totally given up
S: Not given up... (In protest)
V: Hey, c'mon, you don't even think about it. At least I do. And I miss golf. Whereas you don't talk about it or miss it. I'm very angry with you. Because you were such a good player with a natural swing.
On girlfriends
V: (Laughs) Hey, what about a girlfriend?
S: Girfriends, (rather embarrassed) yeah, I discussed... I mentioned...
V: What?
S: Whoever has to be mentioned.
V: (Very teasingly) No secrets from me, you know that. (To us) I still don't know if he has one!
S: I've already told you. I don't want to give names here!
(Both laugh and set off for lunch.)
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