Fortune buts aspirant under spotlight
Venkat Raman –
venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz
From spotlight to floodlight and from stage to the shooting floor, it happens all the time – our young women, who participate in local talent shows, make it to the big screen in India.
The latest to do so is Latha Hegde, a resident of Auckland.
As we write this piece, she is shooting for a Tamil film in Melbourne. As is the wont in the film industry, nothing much is known about it, except that the film brings together, for the first time, four major names of Tamil Cinema, Suhashini Maniratnam, Radhika Sarathkumar, Kushboo Sundar and Urvashi Shivaprasad.
Stated to be a woman-oriented story, it will feature Latha in a pivotal role.
Fortune spinner
Produced and directed by James Vasanthan, a TV anchor who has been in and out of trouble in recent months, the yet-to-be-titled film is being shot mostly in Australia.
Latha hopes that her first Tamil film will provide the much-needed break, making other producers and directors notice her beauty and talent.
“I am thrilled to be featured alongside such names of South Indian film industry. I look forward to making a good career. Following the completion of my work in Melbourne, I will go over to Chennai for the second schedule in December,” Latha told Indian Newslink, writing from across the Tasman.
A native of Bangalore in Karnataka, she migrated to New Zealand with her family 17 years ago and it was during her appearance in Miss Indianz 2013 (Indian Newslink, September 1, 2013) that her interest towards the larger picture widened.
She has also recently signed up to act in a Kannada movie, the shooting for which is expected to be held in Mysore.
The Starter
Latha said that her career in show business actually started with Miss Indianz.
That was an experience of a lifetime, and convinced of her potential in Show Business, she created a profile for herself through an agency in India.
Her debut in ‘Tuntari,’ a Telugu film released earlier this year, appears to have created a sensation in the industry. Directed by Kumar Nagendra, it featured Nara Rohit, a growing star of Telugu Cinema.
A remake of Tamil blockbuster ‘Maan Karate,’ it received good comments and seemed to have fared well at the box office.
“Although I am from Karnataka, I have lived most of my life in Auckland and hence everything in Hyderabad was new to me- the language, the culture and the industry. It was a good beginning,” she said in a Telugu film publication.
Acting with stalwarts such as Suhashini, Radhika, Kushboo and Urvashi would be a great boon for Latha, for, these thespians are not only quick to grasp what is expected of them scene-by-scene but are also known for their high standard of professionalism.
The four are known for their off-screen friendship, which in essence, could be a good source of induction for the new actress.
Animal Activist
“I have been told that ‘Hyderabad Biryani’ is one of the most popular delicacies for people from Andhra and Telangana. I have not tasted this dish because I am a vegetarian,” she said.
Latha told us that she is an animal activist.
As well as spending time with her pets, she volunteers to work with the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and SAFE, a New Zealand based Animal Rights Organisation that campaigns for safety of animals.
