Bhoomika blooms where she is planted

A glance into her sparkling eyes and her cute face is enough to makes guys go mad. Yes, Bhumika Chawla has become the darling of young hearts following her splendid performances in reel. She has left her footprints in Telugu, Hindi and Tamil films, and now set to make a mark in Punjabi films too. She is excited about her new Telugu film titled ‘Maya Bazaar’, where she acts with Raja. Now, she tells more about the film, her experiences and much more.

Excerpts from the interview:

Tell us about your Telugu film ‘Maya Bazaar’.

At first, I was not sure whether to take up the film or not, as I have not done such roles in Telugu earlier. However, producer Satyanarayana Garu convinced me to give the nod. I began liking it after reading the script a couple of times. It is not a love story but a fun film. I play the role of a sweet, simple and lively girl who loves helping others.

How was it working with director Indraganti Mohan Krishna, actor S P Balasubrahmanyam and co-star Raja?

It was great working with them. Balasubrahmanyam is a legendary singer and hear him sing on the sets was a treat. He even used to make us laugh aloud with hilarious one-liners. It was fun working with Raja. He is a hard working guy.

How did you stepped into tinsel town?

I used to travel a lot since my father was in the army. At first, I came to Mumbai to stay for three weeks but ended up staying for years. I tried my hands in many things before taking up acting. I took up modeling, did a part-time job at Mumbai's Prithvi theatre, tried sale job in a company and even worked in hotel. As fate has it, I succeeded in my fourth screen test and thus never looked back.

Do you feel comfortable working in the South?

I have a special attachment to the South, and maybe it is because I started my career here. People in the north asked me if I were doing a Madrasi film when I first stepped into films but I told them that I was working for a Telugu film, which is a different language. It was tough initially since the language was strange. I thought of returning back home on the fourth day of shooting but my mom convinced me to complete the project. At the end of the day, all the trouble vanished and my dream came true. Fame and fame came and there was no stopping since then.

How about your experience in Tollywood?

‘Yuvakudu’ happened to me when I had no knowledge about films and then I went on to play college girl in ‘Khushi’. I was matured by the time I did ‘Okkadu’ with Mahesh Babu. I played the role of a mentally challenged girl in NTR Jr’s film ‘Simhadri’ and then ‘Samba’ with the same actor. Then films like ‘Missamma’, ‘Naa Autograph’ and Vaasu’ happened. Then I got the opportunity to work with megatar Chiranjevi in ‘Jai Chiranjeeva’.

Could you tell about your co-stars Nagarjuna, Chiranjeevi, Venkatesh, Mahesh Babu and NTR?

I have good rapport with all my co-stars. I started my career with Nagarjuna’s family. They all are very good. Chiranjeevi’s energy, dedication and enthusiasm are amazing. He still dances very well in spite of the growing age. Venkatesh is a complete gentleman and my parents like his inclination towards spirituality. Mahesh Babu is a quite yet hardworking man and NTR is a good dancer.

How was your experience in Tamil films?

My Tamil debut film ‘Rojakootam’ is still close to my heart. We had lots of fun shooting for the film. I have no regrets though ‘Sillunu Oru Kathal’ failed, as I enjoyed working for it, and most importantly, people liked my character. It was great working with Surya and Jyothika. You know, Surya is such a humble man.

What are the Hindi films you are working on?

I am working on ‘Benaam’ and ‘Mahatma versus Gandhi’. I play the role of Gandhi's daughter-in-law in ‘Mahatma versus Gandhi’. I also have a Punjabi film directed by Deepak Garewal. It features Om Puri and Gurdas Mann in the lead roles and 80 percent of its shooting was done in Canada. The rest of the film will be shot in India this month.

How was it working with Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Dil Jo Bhi Kahen’ and ‘Family’, Salman Khan in ‘Tere Naam’ and Abhishek Bachchan in ‘Run’?

Working with Amitabh Bachchan was a dream come true. It was a great experience working with him. He has grown old yet he is still humorous, punctual and energetic. Newcomers will get lots of inspiration by just watching him. It was great working with Salman in ‘Tere Naam’. He is giving, caring and helpful unlike his bad public image. He is a good human being. Working with Abhishek is also fun. You know, he makes pranks on the sets.