The Debt Rati Agnihotri Owes Bharathiraja

‘He is the reason for bringing me into the film industry.’
‘He is the reason for making me a very secure actor.’

Rati Agnihotri was introduced to the movies by the late Tamil doyen Bharathiraja in films like Puthiya Vaarpugal and Maaratha Pookkal.

“I was actually goofing up a lot but he literally held my hand and walked me through,” Rati tells Subhash K Jha.

I heard that Bharathiraja, who introduced you in Puthiya Vaarpugal in 1979, was smitten by you.

I don’t know if he was smitten or not, but he was very loving and caring. Don’t forget he saw me in school!

When I was in Standard 10, I was heading the Dramatics Day, and organising everything. When he came to see the play, maybe his daughter was in school and saw me on stage… maybe I fitted that role he had visualised. This is how talented directors make up their mind, you know.

‘I last met Bharathiraja when…’

You became the muse?

I don’t know if I was a muse, but yeah, he was very fond of me. He looked after me very well, considering there was a language barrier in those days. He didn’t know Hindi at all. Even his English was tuta-phuta in those days.

That’s a revelation because I always presumed that it was K Balachandarji who had discovered you for the screen.

No, it was Bharathiraja sir. Bhagyaraj sir, who was my co-star in Puthiya Vaarpugal, also became a very big director. I recently spoke to him and wished him on his birthday. I couldn’t make it to Madras.

He was my first hero, and the one who knew a little bit of English and Hindi. So he would teach me my Tamil dialogues. Between them, they really looked after me.

When did you last meet Bharathiraja?

I last met Bharathiraja when Radhika had called us to Madras. There was a big function there with technicians, and directors. I got to meet so many of my people from the initial days of my career in Madras.

‘I was 16 years old and being treated like a goddess’

It’s amazing how you started so young. You had no experience in acting?

Nothing, I had no exposure. We didn’t even know what films were. My father used to take us on weekends to New Talkies. We used to watch those Disney movies… I don’t know if they were Disney, but those Tom and Jerry kind of things.

Your second film was also with Bharathiraja?

Yeah. The second film was Niram Maaratha Pookkal.

Were you more comfortable by the time you did the second film with him?

To be honest, I don’t remember any discomfort. I was 16 years old, and being treated like a goddess. I was being fed lovely South Indian food on that lovely kele ka patta.

I come from a Punjabi home, so for me, it was a complete cultural transition.

I was dancing in the fields, living in hotels or guest houses. Mummy was with me, so I had a security blanket. There weren’t grueling hours. We worked 9 to 6, that’s it.

‘I’m a Sagittarian, no? I need freedom’

Poonam Dhillon was telling me that Bharathiraja would enact every moment for her?

He would enact for me but not that extensively because he didn’t want me to be him. He wanted that freshness, that’s why he cast a new face.

Obviously, all directors guide you and show you. As you become more seasoned, they explain to you. Initially, all my directors, including Balachander sir, would enact it for me.

I’m basically a spontaneous person.

You are.

It’s difficult to hold me back. If you hold me back, then I feel restricted. I’m a Sagittarian, no? I need freedom.

‘Thank God nobody terrorised me’

Why didn’t you work with him again later in your career when he was still very active?

Daddy was handling my work, I didn’t have a secretary. I guess the workload had become a lot in Hindi, and I shifted from Madras to Bombay.

I’m basically a Bombay person, barring those six years when I was in Madras.

Once my first film came out, all the directors and producers came rushing to Madras.

I was the first Punjabi working in South films. During those days, that North Indian-South Indian (divide) existed. I consider myself Indian because my mother was from Goa, my father was a Punjabi.

You remain close to Madras?

Yes, all my best friends are in Madras. It’s so nice that we are in touch with each other everyday.

If you had to sum up your rapport with Bharathirajaji?

The first two films were very crucial. He is the reason for bringing me into the film industry. He is the reason for making me a secure actor because he didn’t disturb me in any way.

I have zero memory of any discomfort that he was shouting at me or angry with me because I was new.

I was actually goofing up a lot but he literally held my hand and walked me through. I cannot leave Bhagyaraj sir out of it because the two of them helped me through my first two films.

From the onset of my career till I became secure, I worked with all the brilliant directors of the industry and you take a little from each one of them.

Thank God nobody terrorised me. I hear stories of directors that I have worked with but they did not terrorise me at all.

Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff