When I moved from Hyderabad, it felt like injustice, I will always keep my Telugu connection alive: Tabu

At 47, Tabu continues to be an epitome of beauty, grace and strength. She continues to rule the silver screen — her performance in Andhadhun remains one of the most acclaimed in Indian cinema last year. And yet, for the actress, who was born and raised in the city, the connection with Hyderabad is deep. “I’m a Hyderabadi first and then everything else follows. I was born and brought up here, a larger part of my childhood was here, my school, friends, everything is here,” she says speaking at an event in Hyderabad recently. Tabu admits that when her family decided to move to Mumbai, she was initially reluctant to move away from the city she loved so dearly. “Tearing me away from Hyderabad felt like injustice. I insisted that I would complete my schooling here as I didn’t want to move away from my friends. So, when my mother and sister went to Mumbai, I stayed back with my aunt to finish my tenth standard and only then did I leave. Even after all these years, I still don’t think I’ve recovered from the shift,” she adds, with a smile. Reminiscing about her initial years in the film industry, Tabu, who had romanced Tollywood biggies like Nagarjuna and Venkatesh on screen, says, “My first movie was a Telugu film and I believe whatever I know about acting, I learnt it through that film.”

The actress is believed to soon make a Tollywood comeback in a film directed by Trivikram “featuring Allu Arjun the in lead. While being non-committal about that project, Tabu goes on to add, “My guru is Raghavender Rao and I will always keep my Telugu connection alive.” With a career spanning over 39 years, Tabu essayed many vibrant roles, ranging from the bubbly girl-next door characters to more powerful roles. The actress says she made a conscious decision to essay more intense characters in recent years. “I was very young when I stepped into the industry and I was excited about every film that came my way. Gradually I learned to take up
more significant roles and portray more realistic characters,” shares the

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actor. Interestingly, the actress confesses that she has a strong inclination towards writing and that whenever she’s not shooting, she enjoys writing or taking a walk. “I don’t write on a regular basis, but, whenever I do, it’s largely based on my surroundings and the kinds of situations I am in. I write for myself. I recently developed a liking towards photography and I feel it is a really nice way to keep memories alive,” she signs off.