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With a wish in her heart

Tamanna makes her debut in Telugu films

SCREEN SHEEN Tamanna loves doing the offbeat

Aspiring actress Tamanna looks like a woman who has been finally granted her secret wish. Small wonder she is soaking in the success of what she calls her `dream debut' in Mohan Babu's home production in which she plays the role of a strong individual who stands by her family. "She is someone whom you can relate to, a girl next door who has a blend of modern and Indian values. The role is quite substantial," says Tamanna.

Tamanna is ecstatic recounting the story of how she was noticed by Mohan Babu. She was a model pitching a wide variety of products before her foray into films. Her first film was Chand Sa Raushan Chehra which wasn't too impressive in terms of collections.

"I faced the camera when I was 13 and I have just given my board exams. I admire Mohan Babu for his discipline and Dasrath for making all those scenes easy for me. Manoj is such an understanding co-star. The whole ambience is wonderful and I couldn't have asked for more," she says.

All those stories about Bollywood - the casting couch, for instance - surprises her. On the contrary, Bollywood, she says, has been a catalyst for her hidden creativity. "I relish working in Bollywood. So far it's been good for me. I am looking forward to a lot of creatively satisfying experiences," the lissom beauty says.

She adds, "I'm too young to handle things on my own. My parents accompany me and I don't mind that. None in my family are connected with films. All my chachas and buas are doctors. I'm the first one to get into this line. So I'm obviously a protected child." Tamanna is a woman of many shades.

Child like sometimes and also displays maturity beyond her years. This perhaps explains why she finds distinctions between art cinema and box-office cinema "artificial and contrived".

But one thing is sure - Tamanna loves the offbeat and the different. She is effervescent about doing films like Umrao jaan, Mughal E Azam, Kal ho na ho . "I wish to do more films with a powerful social message. Sensibility behind the film is very important to me," she says.

And, yes, Tamanna has a message for debutantes fantasising about some airy-fairy godfather who can launch them into the blazing glory of stardom.

"If you are not happening, no godfather can help you. Besides a godfather can take you up to a point. The rest depends on your talent. That's the hope that keeps me going," she says, wistfully.

Y. SUNITA CHOWDHARY

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