HYDERABAD: People eagerly gathered around just to get a glimpse of him and hopefully a picture too — this was the magnetic presence of legendary actor Subhalekha Sudhakar, who was the chief guest for a recent cake-mixing ceremony at The Golkonda Hotel. Attending with his wife SP Sailaja, Sudhakar graciously obliged and took the time to meet his fans. CE had a candid conversation with the actor, who spoke about his journey, cinema, and more.
Subhalekha Sudhakar came from humble beginnings, starting out as a cashier in the hotel industry and then doing room service, coffee shop service, and reception service. “Cake-mixing is a tradition in the hotel industry. Years ago, I participated as an employee and now, I am here as a guest. Being here at Hotel Golkonda feels like a home away from home,” he expresses.
The actor, who is seen smiling all the time, reveals his biggest inspiration. “Amitabh Bachchan sir is my guru. Seeing the energy he has even at this age inspires me,” mentions Sudhakar.
Speaking about the younger generation of actors, he says, “All of them are equally talented, dance very well, and fight very well. One can never segregate and say someone is good or bad. The confidence level of these young people is extraordinary; I sometimes feel — why didn’t I have this type of confidence at that age?”
Indeed, just like actors have changed over the years, so has the art of filmmaking.
Sudhakar is in agreement and says, “It started with black and white films that had no dialogue or sounds. Then speaking on screen started; microphones would be hung from above and actors had to say their lines. And each one had to be well versed with their lines! Even the pattern of acting was different because the microphone had to catch it. So, the speaking was louder,” he explains, before saying how the audio became softer when dubbing was introduced.
“Technology keeps changing. You adapt and go with it. In my younger days, a camera was just used for still photography. But I have been shooting for a film and have observed that they can change the lens and shoot. To get accustomed to this takes a little time and once you get it, you’re happy,” he adds.
But every artist defines success in a certain way. What does it mean to Sudhakar? The veteran actor says, “Success is hard work, commitment, dedication and of course, last but not the least, a little bit of luck.”
With a career spanning four decades, the actor certainly has an ocean of wisdom. He advises, “Things have definitely changed but a human being always remains the same.
If you strive to become something, work hard at it and never try to choose the easy way. Achieving something is very easy but sustaining it is difficult. To succeed and remain in that position, you need to walk the hard path, where you will learn everything. You will come across all obstacles, you will be able to clear them, and you will keep learning. Whatever name or fame you get, never forget that you are a human being.”