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He laughed last

Brahmanandam. Click for bigger pic!

Mention the name of Bramhanandam to any Telugu film buff and the first thing that comes to mind is of someone screaming hysterically, and tearing at his clothes. While that may seem an odd set of attributes to become famous for, the audiences clearly like his entry, welcoming it with catcalls and whistles usually reserved only for heroes.

With more than 450 films under his belt, the uncrowned king of Telugu comedy Bramhanandam -- simply Bramham to his colleagues and friends -- is sitting pretty.

Starting his career as a struggling TV artiste he made the big screen with Aha Naapellanta in 1985. A big grosser of the time, it made Bramhanandam an instant hit with the masses. Then followed Chitram Bhalarey Vichitram, Money, Anaganaga Oka Roju, Appula Apparao, Anna etc, which established firmly as a comedian of repute. He became so popular that he even did the hero's role in Loafer Mama Super Alludu, but there he was perhaps expecting too much. The film bombed, ending his dreams of becoming a hero.

He's had his share of problems, including the ignominy of having many of his colleagues run a smear campaign against him. But that's all behind him now. And anyway, Bramhanandam is the bluff kind, more comfortable with a practical joke than Machiavellian intrigue. Excerpts from an interview with S Ravi Kennedy:

Why is it that in film after film we get to see you tearing off your clothes like a madman and then fall down like a man suffering from epilepsy?

People have accepted me that way. You see the response I get when I enact such scenes. People just love them. My character in Number 1 had to tear his clothes and people just lapped it up. But I would beg to differ with you that all my films has the same kind of roles.

Only in a couple of films have I done such scenes. I played a different role in Aunty and, in Vinodam, I played a dumb character. In the entire film I had just one bit of dialogue, "Silence please." In Money I played Khandada, a goon with not many lines to mouth. So there is a lot of variety in the kind of roles I do.

So you justify your 'madman' roles on screen?

I get several phone calls and letters from people saying that I have done well in such and such picture. So that is the yardstick I consider. Moreover, whatever role is given to me, I don't question the director as to why I'm given that role. I do my job; the rest is for the audience to judge.

Well, you do scream on top of your voice...

But people do accept me for doing that. They love my voice. They like my screaming. Their applause is what I need. Have you seen Premantey Idhera. How was my entry? I was told that people shouted and screamed then, even though I was there hardly for five minutes. If the role demands me to scream then I do, it depends on the character I get.

Do you agree that there is a lot of difference between present-day comedy, which is louder than those of the yesteryear.

It has changed definitely. Though I have acted in several films, I don't consider myself big enough to comment on old movies. But the audiences too have changed and we have to cater to them and provide what they want.

Frankly speaking what were the conditions prevailing at that time? Are we having the same kind heroes and heroines now, what about the kind of roles they do now. And what about the villains? They have all changed in roles and characters. Tell me what kind of politicians do we have today? Everybody has changed. So the comedy track too has changed with the times.

Do you justify clowning, being kicked by somebody from behind and that kind of thing?

You are talking of Kota Srinivasa Rao and Babu Mohan. People did accept it at that time and it has stopped now, once it was found that it has gone overboard. What I want to say is we do act according to the need.

What prompted you to act in a movie like Shradhanjali with all-new faces?

I don't want to comment on the movie. It was a disaster. The director was new and I had my role etched out for me. He requested me to do the role as his film depended on me and it will be good for publicity. I liked my character in it. I start off as Mike Tyson who chops off people's heads and, in the end, gets transformed to non-violence.

Any plans to take up direction or production?

No, I don't have any such plans. I am content being an actor and I will act as long as I get the roles to play and people accept me.

Which is the role closest to your heart?

That's a difficult one to answer. Because all the roles I have played were good and I liked them. But I do like the character in Money as Khandada.

Do you watch your films?

I don't watch films after they are finished. To date I might have watched around 15 films but not fully. I do see my portion, but only during the dubbing stages that's all. Besides I don't consider myself a knowledgeable person on films. Because people do comment while watching a movie: "Oh! What a shot, what a good take." Since I don't know the subject I nod agreement or laugh with them when they laugh.

I avoid such situations by not watching them at all.

Any particular incident you remember in your career?

Yeah' It took me more than an hour to come out of a small theatre after the success of Chitram Bhalarey Vichitram, the mob was got violent and wouldn't let me go. That's one incident that I still remember.

Which was your best film to date?

It will create a controversy if I name any one film. But I would like to name the characters in films like Money, Chitram Bhalarey Vichitram, Ananganaga Oka Roju, Anna, Vinodam and Bavagaru Bagunnara as my best.

Have you got any particular role which you'd like to play?

I think I have done all sorts of characters and every character I play is new to me as such.

What do you do in your free time?

I do read books to relax. And no I don't read any fiction. But I do read philosophical books. Writings of Swami Vivekananda, Jiddu Krishnamurthi are my favourites. Though I want to talk about philosophical things, people here will brand me as a crank, so I don't discuss any such things over here.

How would you like to be remembered by the people?

The grass is green, sky is blue, and the blood is always red -- they are same and constant. In the same way I would like people to remember me as a good comedian whenever they hear my name. Nothing else.