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Well anchored!

Three non-Telugu speaking women have made a mark on television

Suma Kanakala, Shilpa Chakraborthy and Anita Apte. They are familiar to many as television anchors. Poised, professional and pulled together — every day these women come in front of millions of television viewers. They host shows, interactive sessions interview celebrities and some times report live. Another factor that binds these women is that they are all non-Telugu speaking women who have made Hyderabad their home. Together, these women symbolise the modern-day professional whocombines brains with beauty for maximum effect.

There is more to these women than just their professional skills. They have to be adept at hair, makeup and wardrobe. Unlike most working women, they cannot give in to the occasional bad hair day wardrobe malfunction, indulge in food or even enjoy the luxury of a Sunday. But all of them have a strong support system at home that enables them to concentrate and enjoy their work.

With just a diploma in Kathak, Shilpa Chakroborthy was a novice when she started anchoring Santoor Top Ten for a Telugu channel. The Bengali girl knew no Telugu, had no contacts or a godfather when she joined the small screen yet she nurtured a dream to become an actress some day. After seven years she says, "Landing plum roles in serials which are hugely satisfying made the difference. I refuse to stand beside a heroine as her friend." Shilpa has married into a Telugu family and her parents reprimand her that she's forgotten to converse in Bengali. Shilpa is full of gratitude to the TV industry for giving her an identity. The bubbly and warm anchor known for her work in Kante Kooturne Kanali and Dance Baby Dance says the media has expanded and today one need not be talented, good looking or articulate to make it on the tube. She quips, "An image building exercise, PR and contacts are imperative. When we entered it was so different. But I have no complaints, I live life king size."

New avenues

Anita Apte, TV anchor turned RJ was born in Mumbai but takes pride being a Hyderabadi. She read film-related news for a long time on television before deciding to explore other avenues. She says she gave up TV when her hubby kept ribbing her that she wouldn't fit on the telly anymore. "My weight keeps fluctuating but seriously speaking assignments on TV were far and few. I enjoy writing scripts, I got to be crisp and my précis writing in school comes in handy here." Anita wanted to be a kindergarten schoolteacher but her career in TV helped her evolve and discover herself more. "I can never be exuberant and vivacious, it's just not me. Anchoring is okay but I would make a fool of myself if I were to act." This Maharashtrian is fluent not just in Telugu and English, she holds a Post Graduate degree in Russian as well. Anita believes in looking `nice' on-air, but she doesn't want to be considered eye candy. "However, it (looking nice) is a very small part of what I do."

Smiling away

Her trademark smile has helped her bond with her viewers for 15 years and also helped diffuse the tension that prevailed during the Vajrotsavam. Ask Malayali anchor Suma what's the uncomfortable part of her job and she giggles, "When I don't like a movie and I'm supposed to promote it." Suma finds her work exciting, exhilarating and enormously fulfilling. If not for my mother's insistence, I would have never taken Telugu as my second language and today I can confidently say that I can never find myself unemployed. Married to Telugu actor Rajiv Kanakala, Suma's time of glory came with Dupes, Pattukune Pattucheera, Avvakeyyara and Mahilalu Maharanulu. She has dabbled infilms with Kalyana Praptirasthu. Ask her why she doesn't wish to continue with films and she says, "The title of the film also means a blessing that goes to say that my wedding is over - nannu deevinchesaru, I don't belong there, and it's not where I want to be seen."

Suma says that even after so many years on TV she is a bundle of nerves before every show and laments that the new breed of anchors are being swayed by easy money and fame.

Y. SUNITA CHOWDHARY

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