For most part of her 12-year-long career onscreen,
Vimala Raman has epitomised the "sexy siren" with aplomb. However, in the upcoming mythological Om Namo Venkatesaya, she underwent a divine image make-over, to play goddess Lakshmi. Admittedly, playing the part was like a throwback to her days as a classical dancer. "I'm a trained Bharatnatyam dancer and have performed many mythological dance dramas on stage. So it felt like I was performing another dance recital. But it was nevertheless exciting because I've never done anything like this onscreen before," she says adding, "I have grown up watching devudu films. So there was no way I was going to miss a chance to act in a mythological film in which I'd get to act with Nagarjuna. I just jumped at it."
But she won't be getting to showcase her Bharatnatyam prowess in the film though. "Unfortunately, no. 'What to do ma,
Lakshmi Devi
doesn't dance,' said director Raghavendra Rao garu. So maybe if I get to act in a film about Lord Shiva, I'd probably get to do the tandav then," she says laughing.
The actress confesses to not knowing anything about Baba Hathiram, before she signed on the film. "To be honest, I wasn't aware of
Baba Hathiram
at all before I heard the film's script. I may have heard of him through my dance teacher, but I didn't particularly remember him. It was a revelation learn about how influential he was in formulating several of the rituals followed in
Tirumala
," she says, signing off.