Priyamani looks forward to working with Puneet

National award winning actress Priyamani has atlast fulfilled her desire to act in her first Kannada film with a top banner and a big star of the Kannada film industry. From Tuesday the 10th March, she will be part of the shooting of hugely expected Kannada film Raam which is being produced by Adithya Babu and directed by Madesh who wielded megaphone for 2008 block buster film Gaja. Raam is the remake of Telugu Hit Ready directed by Sreenu Vaitla which had Raam and Genelia in the lead.

Though Priyamani was born in Palakkad in Kerala, she was brought up in Bangalore where she completed her studies and did a bit of modeling. Priya Mani got a break in films through Tamil film Kangalaal Kaithu Sey directed by Bharathi Raja. She even got a National award for her sensational performance in Aamir directed Tamil Paruthi Veeran and went on to become very busy in Telugu and Tamil films. Despite many Kannada film producers contacting her for some good roles, Priyamani could not accommodate her dates for many reasons including her busy schedule and the sky rocketing remuneration. If at all she was to be chosen for a Kannada film, it should have been necessarily a big film.

The situation has dramatically changed now. Even Priyamani has lesser number of films now and she is presently acting only in Telugu films. Her Tamil film offers have practically dried up. Post Paruthiveeran, Priya has tried to reinvent herself as a glamour doll which has not brought her any big success. Her recent Telugu film Drona in which she was seen in Bikini swim suit sank without a trace.

Priyamani has not been seen as a sensitive actress after Parthiveeran in her Telugu and Tamil films barring her performance in Telugu film Pellaina Koththalo. Priyamani's performance in Malayalam film Thirakkatha which revolved around the turbulent life of Actress Sri Vidya was much appreciated. Apart from her bilingual film (Ashokavanam and Raavan) with Manirathnam, Priyamani has no films on hand except Venkatesh's next Telugu film. She has just finished her work for Telugu film Mithrudu with Balakrishna directed by Mahadev. Venkatesh's next film will any way start in the month of May and Priyamani's work for the Manirathnam film is almost over barring a shooting for a few days. Sources say that she had adjusted her dates in Raam and has even requested the producers to accommodate a little when she is called for the Manirathnam film. She will be taking a break for two days to be part of the shooting of Manirathnam's film. And the Kannada film producers were also willing to negotiate with her price.

Priyamani was approached for the film even earlier, but at that time the dates could not be accommodated by the actress because she was to complete her Telugu film. The first shooting for Raam's first ten day schedule was completed in the absence of the film's heroine. The producers of Raam had even approached other actresses including Bollywood actress Adithi Sharma who had acted in Hindi films like Black and White and Khanna and Iyer.

The fifteen day holidays for the whole industry to prepare for the three day Platinum Jubilee celebrations had even postponed many schedules. More than anything else, the postponement of the song sequence shooting schedule of Puneet's forthcoming film Raaj, the Showman towards the end of March, which led to preponement of the second schedule of Raam. This altered date schedule perfectly suited Priyamani who was taking up Venkatesh's Telugu film only in the month of May.

"We are very happy that Priyamani is part of this film. I am sure Puneet and Priyamani would make a perfect pair in the film. The role suits Priyamani the best and she will be shooting for the film from March 10," says a happy Adithya Babu. He hopes the shooting of the entire film including the song picturisations abroad would finish before the month of May.

Even before Priyamani had acted in Paruthi Veeran, she was contacted for Kannada film. She was to have acted in a Kannada film Saradaara with Darshan as the leading star. But things could not materialize and later she took up assignments in Malayalam and Tamil. She speaks fluently in Kannada having studied in a convent in Banashankari. Even during the many interviews by the local journalists, Priyamani has insisted that she wants to act in Kannada films, but right opportunities have not knocked at her door. She also reiterated that she has been quite friendly with many Kannada artists.