An actor reflects…

Brahmanandam turns 68 this year. After a four-and-half decade-long career so prolific that he has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for the same, the actor turns writer, penning his autobiography Nenu Mee Brahmanandam. The book, which has now made it to the bestseller lists, details a journey of his struggles throughout different stages of life — from his childhood spent in poverty to his stint as a college lecturer to his early days in the Telugu film industry and more while highlighting his personal philosophies succinctly. Staying true to the tune of many an autobiography, the actor says, “Indhulo antha untundhi, anni undavu” (this book has all, but not everything), while delving into the key themes of his book and his life

Excerpts from the conversation:

Congratulations on your book. Did you feel any kind of apprehension before writing it, given how people really don’t read much these days?

It is a common misconception that people have stopped reading or that the habit of reading has decreased. What I believe is that people have not found the books that have truly caught their attention, which is why they are not reading. It is imperative to tell your story in an interesting manner, for interest is the guiding factor for everything we see, read and engage ourselves in. I was not dissuaded by comments on how people do not read anything, especially in Telugu, these days. I wrote my story from a place of confidence and certainty.

Adversity is a key theme in Nenu Mee Brahmanandam…

Everybody works hard. Some at the cost of thousands, others at the cost of lakhs and crores. But more often than not, we find it hard to reconcile with our struggles, let alone love them. In that moment, all we see is hardship. I have seen my fair share of hardships, but I have also seen joy and great success. This book is an attempt to display the larger utility of one’s struggles. When people know that there is a payoff to one’s hardships through my story, I felt they might appreciate their own journeys a bit more. It makes life easier and more meaningful when one enjoys the journey as much as they enjoy the destination. Facing problems is common across humanity, but the right resolve makes all the difference.

You have also written about your parents in the book, detailing the life lessons they gave you. How have things changed over the years, when you were a parent, and later when your child became one?

Swami Vivekananda has once mentioned that marriage is a combination of problems passed on from one generation to another. The way families work is, you solve some of the problems, you pass on some of the problems to your children. And the cycle continues. It is pretty much universal, as universal as 2 + 2 = 4. The problems will also be the same, be it in the 20th or the 30th century. That said, changes do come in the form of time, money, economy, and technology. For instance, my father is a poor man, but Raja (Goutham, actor and Brahmanandam’s son)’s father is not a poor man. (laughs)

Your book’s blurb breaks down your relationship with god and how atheism and individuality are mistaken for one another. Could you elaborate?

I strongly believe that god’s grace is necessary for a person to truly flourish. But people emerged in and out of their problems on their own. Some may see the existence of these problems and the larger purpose they serve as karmasiddhantham (law of Karma). But others will see the presence of great poverty and insurmountable challenges as proof of the lack of god’s existence, i.e. atheism. But do we know for sure that god does not exist? There is a key difference between not knowing and not existing, but people don’t recognise this aspect when it comes to god. It is easier to believe that things don’t exist, rather than believe that an entirely different reality can also be present outside the boundaries of our perception. My struggles are common, but my success isn’t. Why was I chosen for this journey, these highs? When one humbles themselves with the fact that there is so much they don’t know, they will slowly begin to find their path to success and greatness.

Your book has a strong tone of motivation. Is this your message to today’s youth?

Yes. When I was younger, I had holes in the knickers I wore to school everyday. I was too ashamed to even step out, I was embarrassed to sit alongside my classmates, who all wore such nice clothes. My father would get me hand-me-down textbooks at the start of every year. Such were the austere situations I grew up in. The likes of you cannot even comprehend such poverty, I suppose. That said, even to this day, there are students living in the conditions I lived in. Without sufficient clothes, money, food or books. I want my book to reach them. I want my story to reach these children. If I can rise up and make something of myself in life, so can they. Aa dhairyam ey na pusthakam (that courage formed my book).

Do you have any regrets in your life?

My humble request to everyone, if they can, is to kindly remove this regret word from all their vocabularies. Regrets are for those who see the glass half-empty. If you know something is wrong, why do it in the first place…you get what I mean? All these religious sermons tell people that they can do penances and wash off their sins, Is anyone telling these people to not sin in the first place?

How do you look back at the life you have led?

My career as a comedy actor has given me immense job satisfaction. It is also a satisfaction unlike anything else. Janalu nannu abhimanam tho kaadhu, anandam tho chustharu (people look at me with happiness, not admiration). I am grateful to have delivered performances that evoked such intense emotions in the audience. Their love is my strength and health, and it kept me going through four decades in the film industry.