Acting in films isn’t easy: Sudha Murthy

By Bhavana Akella

Bengaluru, Dec 1 (IANS) Infosys Foundation Chairperson and author Sudha Murthy has found that acting is not an easy task after doing a cameo in a Kannada film.

"I think it's great to watch a film but very difficult to act in it. It's not an easy task," Sudha told IANS after the film "Uppu Huli Khara" (Salt Sour Spicy), in which she acts as a judge, was released in the southern state on November 24.

Starring Shashi Devraj, Malashri, Sharath and Dhananjay, the movie is on how the protagonists get involved in a bank robbery.

Ace choreographer-turned-director Imran Sardhariya made the two-hour long Sandalwood film. (The Kannada film industry is often referred to as Sandalwood.)

Sudha, 67, reluctantly agreed to do a two-minute role in the film on the persistence of its producer, M. Ramesh Reddy, whom she has known for long.

"I agreed to act in the movie as Reddy was keen on having a short (two-minute) role for me," Murthy quipped.

As a contractor, Reddy has built offices of the not-for-profit Foundation, set up in 1996 to support the under-privileged sections of society.

Murthy appears in a courtroom where she hears a case and passes a judgement after arguments by the petitioner and the prosecutor.

"There was no preparation for the role. I had to sit and listen to the arguments from both sides and say a few lines!" recalled the beaming philanthropist and wife of N.R. Narayana Murthy, co-founder of the global software major Infosys.

Murthy had earlier played a judge in the Kannada film "Prarthana". She has also appeared in a Marathi movie, "Pitruroon", based on her Kannada novel "Rhun".

"I am not keen on acting because I'm not good at it. Though tedious and time-consuming, I was forced to act finally," she recalled.

A renowned author of popular Kannada novels like "Three Thousand Stitches", "House of Cards", "Dollar Bahu" and "How I Taught my Grandmother to Read", wiriting is what Murthy enjoys.

"The process of writing is pure joy for me. But when a movie is made from the book, I believe it can reach many more people," she averred.

"Dollar Bahu" was translated into English with the same title and made into a television soap in 2001.

The well-known author has also forayed into books on mythology for children, with one book released on Children's Day (November 14) every year.

"The Man From the Egg: Unusual Tales About the Trinity" is the first of the series released on Children's Day this year.

After her Foundation work, Murthy returns home every day to read and write.

"I don't go anywhere, not even for parties or weddings. After work, I sit to read and write and devote every minute of my time to that," Murthy said.

(Bhavana Akella can be contacted at bhavana.a@ians.in)