Tollywood succumbs to numbers game
BOLLYWOOD started it all and the effect has now rubbed off on Tollywood too. For some time, you were left wondering how to spell Kareena. Is she Kareena or Kareina? Is it Sunil Shetty or Suniel Shetty? Now, the name-changing fever has gripped Tollywood. Which is why we saw Venkatesh’s last film Gemini as Gemeni.
Namita, who debuted in Sontham became Bhairavi in Gemeni. “I wasn’t going forward in my career as Namita. I felt the name Bhairavi would bring me luck,†she says. Though the audience kept guessing, Bhairavi has indeed become a trendsetter. More actors and actresses are treading the same path. Remember Anita from Nuvvu Nenu? Well, she’s got a new identity as Natassha when she stepped into Bollywood.
“I consulted numerologist Jumani who has helped many Bollywood stars change their names. He felt the name Anita wouldn’t assure me success. He gave me two options – either go for a spelling change in Anita or choose my Kucch To Hai character name Natassha. I opted for the latter,†she says. Will she remain Anita in Tollywood? “I’d prefer to be called Natassha in Telugu too. But that depends on my producers. If they think a new name will hamper my identity, I’ll stick to Anita in Telugu,†she says. A new identity apart, has the change brought success? “Kucch To Hai is doing well. If I hadn’t gone for a change and the film had failed, I’d have regretted it. In a competitive industry, who wants to take a risk?â€
The luck factor is forcing actors to take a closer look at the numbers that their names are adding up to. Aryan Rajesh prefers to be addressed as Aryan henceforth. If this game works out, expect to see more actors with new names.
hyderabadtimes@indiatimes.com
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