I will throw the coconut right back at them: Amy on South directors' throwing objects

Mumbai: Just days after Taapsee Pannu created a major controversy with her comments on K Raghavendra Rao hitting her midriff with a coconut during the filming of her first movie ‘Jhummandi Naadam’ to make her look sensuous, a tradition that is common in the South Indian film industry, actresses Amy Jackson and Ileana D’Cruz have come out in support of the ‘Naam Shabana’ heroine by calling the South filmmakers’ fixation with hurling objects at them ‘horrific’.

Talking about the decade old tradition, Ileana D’Cruz, who debuted with a Telegu film ‘Devadasu’, reportedly told a daily, “My first South film was with YVS Chowdary, he considers K Raghavendra Rao his guru, and is known to film such scenes. So yes, in my first Telugu film, there was this scene where I had a porcelain shell dropped on my belly, in slow motion. And it was fairly big and heavy. My ab muscles hurt so much. I was 18 then and I had no idea what I was doing and why it is considered sexy. There would be so many shots and close-ups so often. It’s been 11 years, and I still don’t understand what goes into filmmaking at all. I am comfortable having people tell me what to do. As far as the flowers, coconuts, and all are concerned, it’s horrible. They used to call me Nadumu something which technically means hip something. Now, I have to thank them because I was ragged for the longest time for having big hips, and they kind of made me look at myself and feel: that’s not bad! (laughs).”

But it was former beauty queen and actress Amy Jackson who stole the show with her forthright comment on the issue. Interestingly, like Taapsee and Ileana, Amy also debuted with a South Indian film called ‘Madharasapattinam’ that was in Tamil language and, although the actress has never experienced any ‘sensuous’ coconut-breaking or flower-hurling herself, she was pretty vocal about the allegedly ill-practice that is prevalent in the South Indian film industry.

She said, “It’s horrific! I want to request makers to please stop this. I guess it’s in the Telugu industry. I have definitely not gone through this and I am glad I didn’t. Because if someone did that to me, I will throw the coconut right back at them. They would never do that to me because they know I am like this. Also, I have been really fortunate and have worked with some great directors and good co-stars. Not every actress has been in this situation. But being in such a situation is horrible. I would hate to have to deal with that.”

For the uninitiated, actress Taapsee Pannu, during a recent chat show, revealed that she is not too happy with a somewhat odd tradition her first director pulled off on her. The actress said that she was hit by a coconut on the midriff during the shooting of ‘Jhummandi…’ and she hasn’t been able to figure out as to how Rao thought it would come across as sensuous.

“I don’t know what is so sensuous about hitting a girl on her midriff. But the director who has made over 100 films has launched Sridevi and Jayasudha. They were apparently hit by flowers and fruits on their midriff,” said Taapsee.

Taapsee also spoke about how she was typecast as a glam doll down South. Her recent outings, however, have changed that perception.

Directed by K Raghavendra Rao, Pannu started her career with Tollywood film ‘Jhummandi Naadam’ where she starred opposite Manoj Manchu and played the character of an NRI girl. The film was produced by Lakshmi Manchu.

The actress, however, apologised for her comments later.