Silk Smitha - Interview from Filmfare

WHO WAS SILK SMITHA?

SILK Smitha's rise from an aspiring starlet to super star status can only be described as meteoric. Coming from an obscure Andhra village, this star struck peasant girl, had acted in over 200 films in Tamil, Telugu, Malyalam Kanada and Hindi in short span of 4 years.

Her first film surprisingly, was in Malayalam, Innayaihhed. She had a minor role. It was her second film, Vandichakram (her first Tamil film} that she became SILK Smitha after her portrayal of an arrack waitress. The role won her tremendous acclaim. A host of roles cast in glamourous moulds followed.

She was born on 2nd December, 1960 and In 1996, Smitha was found dead in her Chennai apartment. She had tried to turn int a film producer but financial problems, a disillusionment in love and an alcohol dependency apparently led to depression. It is suspected that Smitha committed suicide by poisoning herself. Her Filmfare interview is dated December 1984.

Vamp, seductress, night club dancer par excellence with few inhibitions about shedding her clothes, Silk Smitha has become a household name for film goers in South India. And with ‘Sadma’, she has become familiar to Hindi audiences.

I heard to lot about her. That she was a sizzler; a piece of red hot property ensuring success of any film. That she was ruthless in her dealings with press; that she treated producers and film makers like scum. That she was haughty, unsocial and disrespectful towards colleagues and senior artistes. I had heard…

It was unthinkable that anyone with such a reputation could continue to thrive in any profession, leave alone be at the top. It was, therefore, with considerable trepidation that I set out to meet “Silk” Smitha and out what made here click. I was in for surprises.

I was granted a audience without the usual starry fuss. Standing before me was not the glamour puss of over 200 films, but a dark looking girl with those hauntingly dreamy eyes so characteristic of her. She was neither haughty nor curt. On the contrary, she appeared eager to talk to us. The interview (conducted in her comfortably furnished living room) in Telugu accented Tamil with a few English words thrown I, took nearly two hours. And what unfolded was the story of a star-struck village girl’s struggle against tremendous odds.

Today, ‘ Silk’ is at the top as far as glamour roles are concerned. But the peak is narrow and precarious. But the peak is narrow and precarious. Others like Anuradha and already crowding the summit. How long will the ‘Silky’ days last before the inevitable fall comes?

I understand that you were born and brought up in a rural atmosphere with no film background. How then did you enter films?

Some uncles and cousins of mine are in Telugu films. But that had nothing to do with y entry into films. Even as a small girl I wanted t become a great actress, so when I came to Madras and got a role in the Malayalam film ‘In-ayaithedi’. I was very happy.

How did your family react to your entry into films? 

At first there was considerable opposition. They did not want me to become an actress. But now I have a good name and money. Now there are no problems.

You seem to be specializing in glamour roles…
Well, actually I wanted to become a character actress like Savithri, Sujta and Saritha. But in my second film ‘Vandichakram’ (her first film in Tamil), I was put in a glamour role. It was in that film that I played the character called ‘Silk’ Smitha….. (Laughs). It was actually a very good role and people liked my performance. It led to more and more glamour roles. I cannot afford to displease my producers and directors so I continue to accept them. But my ambition remains the same. To become a good character role for ‘Alaigal Oviathikillai’, which was a hit. But somehow I continue to get more glamour roles.

But now that you have a standing in the film industry, will you be more choosy in your roles? Will you insist on switch-over to serious roles when you are approached for future films?
I’d love to make a name for myself as a character actress. But I’ll never insist that I will d only serious roles. You see I depend onn my producers and directors for my success. They have utilized my talents to sell their films, but in the process they have also made me what I am. I shall do whatever roles they want me to. 

You have acted in over 200 films-you must have worked with various directors and actors. With whom do you like working the most? 

Bharathi Rajaa is a very good director. I like working with him, so also with Balu Mahendra. He is a perfectionist. He will retake the same shot several times until he gets the effect he desires. But he is very pleasant in his behaviour and can extract work and maximum co-operation from the actors and actresses.
 

Kamal Haasan is the best actor I have acted with. In Telugu, Chiranjeevi is very good. Both of them are very good dancers too. I love doing dance scenes with them.
There has been a lot of criticism about you in the press. That success has gone to your head. That you are very discourteous and disrespectful in your dealings with film makers and co-artistes. Any explanations? 

These are malicious allegations made against me in magazines which claim to be film magazines but are actually purveyors of yellow journalism. They have written a lot of bad things about me which are simply not true. They have accused me of treating my producers and others badly. Now, that is totally untrue. If it were true, then nobody will be casting me in their films. Why should I treat my producers badly when I know very well that I wouldn’t have been what I am but for them?
They have accused me of being disrespectful towards senior colleagues and artistes like Sivaji Ganesan, because I sit with my legs crossed in front of them. It is my habit to sit with my legs crossed when I am relaxing. I have been that way since childhood. Nobody had ever told me that was bad manners. But now, just because it does not suit the social norms of some narrow-minded journalists, it is being turned into a big issue.
 

 They have accused me of being disrespectful toward MGR sar by boycotting a function at which he was presiding. (In Tamil Nadu where movie stardom is an adjunct to political ambitions, it is considered blasphemy for actors and actresses to keep away from a function presided over by chief minister M.G. Ramchandran.) I would not even dream of boycotting any such function. You see, I had given dates for the shooting of a Telegu film with Chiranjeevi who was leaving the country the next day. And this particular function was also fixed for the same date. I am working to a very tight schedule and if I do not agree to shooting on that particular date, the producers would have had to wait for some months before I could give them a date again. I never dreamt that would be misconstructed as showing disrespect to the chief minister. (shrugs}

If, as you say, all these allegations against you are false, then why are these stories spread?
My career has been short. Just about 4 years and in this time I have acted over 200 films. Naturally, there must be several people who are jealous of my success.  I think it is such people who are behind all this malicious propaganda. They're trying to damage my reputation. Quite recently, you were involved in an enforcement case...? 

Yes, there is a story behind that incident. I had to go to Singapore on a publicity tour at the request of music director, M.S. Viswanathan. MSV's family was accompanying us. Though I have acted in so many films, I am basically a shy person. I get nervous when I have to address people. I develop stage fright if I have to dance before a lot of people. I agreed to accompany MSV's party only on the condition that I would not be asked to dance. At a function in Singapore, I was introduced to the audience. I said namaskaram and left the stage but the people started clamouring for me to dance. That day I was escorted by the police to the room.
 

Then MSV came to my room and told me that my fans would not let the programme go on unless I danced before them. He asked me to oblige. I refused. The very next day, without even telling me MSV and his family left for India, leaving me alone. I think that was highly irresponsible behaviour on the part of a senior, respectable person like MSV  leaving a woman alone to fend for herself in a strange land. I somehow persuaded the organisers of the trip to return my passport and I too flew back to Madras.

At the airport, I was cleared by the customs. I had to pay a small amount of duty on some of the things I had brought for me. It was later that some enforcement officials come to check up on me. There were six of them from the CBI I think. They searched all my things, then apologised and went away. They said they had received information that I was smuggling something. I don't know who gave such information. I also don't know what happened to that case after that.Is it your ambition to get into Hindi films in a big way? 

I want to act in as many films as possible it does not matter which language. I had an opening in Hindi films through Jaani Dost. Then there was Sadma which is a remake of  Moonram Pirai. I had a longish role in another Hindi film. I don’t remember the name. I am now doing few more films... I am not familiar with Hindi names...
Well, if I continue to continue to get glamour roles, i cannot continue for a long. You see in such roles there are several limitations. But my ambition in life is to become a good character actress. I know I can succeed if only I am given a fair chance.
What about plans of matrimony? 

(Laughs} I will marry and settle down at some stage. But not just yet. Only after I have achieved all I want in acting.