Kushbu
Many heroines like Radha, her sister Ambika,Gauthami and many
others reigned the filmdom, it was Kushbu ,who I think ruled the roost the
most. Unlike all heroines who did multi –language films (read as Tamil- Telugu)
since both were highly paying, Kushbu stuck to doing Tamil films. Though she
came from Kannada filmdom, her footing was in Tamil. It was not that from day
one, she hit the bull’s-eye. It was a slow grind but she started getting paired
opposite all the top heroes and hit directors films.
Reason for demand
It was one her personal PR with the film bigwigs. She never to my
knowledge had created any star nakhras and was to a certain extent flexible in
her fees. Result was that at many a time, the production house and director waited
to synch the heroine’s date with the
hero, in case of Kushbu. To my knowledge, Kushbu is the only heroine who though
had a manager and a PR, dealt directly
with the press and the producer’s. Her mother with her limited knowledge of
Tamil, somehow managed to talk her way and get the money or sign contracts.
Kushbu also was the one who brought back the concept that bulky
heroines are in demand. Generally the top heroines in the South were on the
heavier side and later it changed with lightweight ones coming. Kushbu ,though
on the heavier side had through her clothes sense managed to look not too
heavy. One thing that worked for her was that she was not the `thunder thighs’
variety.
Chinna Thambi and after
The Prabhu- Kushbu- P Vasu combo came out with `Chinna Thampi’
which created a box office sensation. Kushbu became a cult. Till date, I don’t
know whether a temple was build after her. She never confirmed it either. When
the Prabhu – Kushbu marriage news hit the Daily Thanthi , reports said that the
temple was destroyed. Both did not have any photographical evidence, to my
knowledge.
I had been to Chinna Thampi location. P Vasu narrated the story. I
was thinking as to whether Prabhu and Kushbu has lost their brains. In modern
times, a sister is brought up by her brothers like a princess. If anybody looks
at her, the guy’s head is shaved. P Vasu pulled it off.
After that this combo was a super hit pair. Things were going
hunky dory. Till the visiting press team consisting of Thanthi Pandian reached
Ooty ( or was it Kodai ?) . So the usual was that during lunch break, actors- director
spoke about the film. The bomb burst. Kushbu said ‘yes, I have split with
Prabhu. I am taking off my mangalsutra”. Thanthi had reported the marriage on
page one with photo. It was denied.
Pandian scrambled to flash the news. He motored down to Coonoor, I
think, to give the story on phone. I had on my visits to Kushbu’s Boat Club
house, notice a Hindu God photo and a lit diya and sindoor on her forehead. I
did not ask about it as I felt it was her personal matter. After the marriage
story, Prabhu and Kushbu were acting in a film produced by DNS and about an
aathma going from one to another. I don’t remember the film name. The shooting
was in AVM. I was told that no press was
allowed inside and that too with a photographer.( It was Third Eye Prakash who
was a Prabhu- Kushbu bhakth) . Anyway , We felt slighted and raised a ruckus.
DNS son Sakthi allowed us inside and we took photos. We felt as if having
achieved something and Prakash that he shot a Prabhu- Kushbu combo when others
could not.
As a media person, I would like to reveal an inside info on the
marriage story. It is said that Pandian got the story from Kushbu, who planted
it as a test case. Some say it was a joint move. An insider told Sivaji’s clan
that this story was front paged for next day. Owner Sivanthi Adityan was
abroad. The rule was that the news editor after preparing the front page had to
inform him about the contents. Adityan phoned in from any country and then
would give his nod or rejection. Adityan already phoned and heard the contents
and Okayed it. Only after this did Sivaji clan came to know about it. There was
no way to trace a landline abroad and nobody had clue about Adithyan’s
whereabouts.
Innings after break-up
Surprisingly, Kushbu’s demand in the industry started to slide
down. By then, she had married Sundar and slowly faded away. She had a TV
avatar later on.
She remained her usual self and her pleasant nature and now
her political avatar seems to be a hit. She was in DMK and then shifted to
Congress. The transition was smooth. Her well measured replies as spokespersons
have surprised me. Usually actresses and actors are used to film press that is
not too aggressive. In turn, the actors get aggressive and brow beat the press.
Busy or not, they have no time to read newspapers or see news. Later they
become MP’s or MLa’s and put their foot in the mouth. Kushbu seems to be politically
aware and knows to say what is politically right and handle the TV journalists
looking for a juicy `byte’. The job becomes difficult when you have an ally
that is `Big Brother’ and a party with so many camps.
I always secretly admired her hubby Sundar. Having married a
reigning Queen, with so much of arc lights shining on her then and now, he
always came across as a man who is least bothered about it. He always has this
cocky confidence as a director, that he
can pull it off. His attitude that what my wife does is her choice and she can
take care of it is probably what kept Kushbu going and still being herself.
..
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