<p>Multilingual actor Vinaya Prasad, who has appeared in about 225 films and 10,000 episodes of television serials in five languages, mostly in the lead roles, says her immense exposure to art, music and theatre in her childhood is what drew her to show business.</p>.<p>Having spent over three decades in the film industry, Vinaya can fluently speak seven languages and is popular for her performance-oriented roles. She began her career with ‘Madhwacharya’ in 1988, and after a break, she returned with ‘Ganeshana Maduve’ in 1990. Her notable films are ‘Nanendu Nimmavane, ‘Neenu Nakkare Haalu Sakkare’ with Vishnuvardhan, ‘Gauri Ganesha’ with Anant Nag, and Mukhyamantri Chandru and Ramesh Bhat, to name a few. Her role in the Malayalam film ‘Manichitrathazhu’ drove the story forward.</p>.<p><strong>Early years</strong></p>.<p>Vinaya is one of five children born to S Krishna Bhat and Vatsala. “My parents encouraged us to read, learn music and ask questions. They led exemplary lives and taught us the importance of good values,” Vinaya tells Showtime.</p>.<p>She owes her good pronunciation and diction to the many stories by her father. “My father made sure he told us one story a day — ‘dinakkondu kathe’, as we would call it. I picked up a good vocabulary and developed a love for reading by listening to those stories. We led a tension-free childhood and this set the stage for a good life for all of us,” says Vinaya.</p>.<p>Her father retired as a divisional officer with the LIC and mother worked as a school teacher. She also taught handicraft to students of<br />B Ed. “My mother stitched very well. All the dresses, skirts and salwars that my sisters and I wore were stitched by her. She experimented with the latest designs and fashion. We wore the best. Her embroidery is very impressive,” says Vinaya.</p>.<p>Her father died two years ago and her 76-year-old mother is in Udupi. “During the pandemic, she stitched masks and distributed them for free,” she says.</p>.<p>When Vinaya got into acting, her mother accompanied her for the shoots. “My mother was well-versed with the technicalities of filmmaking. She was a good observer and learnt a great deal about the importance of lighting, editing and picked up jargons of filmmaking just by being on the shooting sets,” she adds.</p>.<p>Vinaya completed her schooling from St Cecily’s Convent in Udupi and graduation in commerce from Poornaprajna College. “I learnt the basics of acting and theatre in my college days. My love for theatre and the stage began then. The dedication and commitment that was taught to me by my teachers then have stood me in good stead even to this day,” she says.</p>.<p><strong>First big break</strong></p>.<p>Vinaya was still in college when she got offered to play one of three queens to the king in Madhvacharya. The film did well and she was offered to play a prominent role in Prema Bhat’s ‘Badukinalli ondu Thiruvu’ (meaning a turning point in life) after its release. It was a television project that aired 13 episodes on Doordarshan.</p>.<p>“It was at this time that I got a call from director Phani Ramachandra wanting to cast me in ‘Ganeshana Maduve’ opposite Anant Nag. He felt that I perfectly suited the requirements of character,” says Vinaya. ‘Ganeshana Maduve’ broke all box office records at the time.</p>.<p>Vinaya says that she enjoyed acting with Anant Nag. “We shared common interests. We both love reading and come from a theatre background. Anant was always willing to learn and never wore his stardom on his sleeve,” says Vinaya.</p>.<p>“Our on-screen chemistry in ‘Ganeshana Maduve’ was much-talked-about and appreciated. We were good at improvising, thanks to our strong foundation in theatre. The director appreciated our impromptu improvisations and would incorporate them in the shots,” she adds.</p>.<p>She and Anant would spend quality time discussing books, theatre and music among other things. Vinaya has acted with every big star from Vishnuvardhan, Chiranjeevi, Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, Ambareesh, V Ravichandran to Shivrajkumar, but she finds it hard to pick out her favourite co-star. “They have each excelled in their field and are brilliant performers in their own way,” she says.</p>.<p>Vinaya is one of the few actors who has had the chance to share screen space with the late S P Balasubrahmanyam (SPB). She acted with him in ‘Hrudaya Kallaru’ and ‘Kalyanotsava.’ “He was a famous singer by then, but acting brought out a different side of him. He was a sensitive actor and emoted brilliantly. He never missed an opportunity to lighten the sets with his jokes and laughter,” recalls Vinaya. Vinaya’s role in television serials made her a household name. Some of her serials have had the longest-running episodes till date.</p>.<p><strong>Family life</strong></p>.<p>Vinaya shares a close bond with her daughter Prathama Prasad. “She and I hold different views about most things in life but we are inseparable,” she says. She adds, “When I broke my hand during shooting two years ago, it was my daughter who took care of me. She bathed and fed me. She has a small child, but her selfless ways and warmth are something I will cherish for life.” </p>.<p>Vinaya doesn’t look anything like her age. What’s the secret? “I wake up every morning like it is the first day of my life. I see and absorb everything around me and I am open to learning. Good exercise and long walks keep me healthy,” she signs off.</p>
<p>Multilingual actor Vinaya Prasad, who has appeared in about 225 films and 10,000 episodes of television serials in five languages, mostly in the lead roles, says her immense exposure to art, music and theatre in her childhood is what drew her to show business.</p>.<p>Having spent over three decades in the film industry, Vinaya can fluently speak seven languages and is popular for her performance-oriented roles. She began her career with ‘Madhwacharya’ in 1988, and after a break, she returned with ‘Ganeshana Maduve’ in 1990. Her notable films are ‘Nanendu Nimmavane, ‘Neenu Nakkare Haalu Sakkare’ with Vishnuvardhan, ‘Gauri Ganesha’ with Anant Nag, and Mukhyamantri Chandru and Ramesh Bhat, to name a few. Her role in the Malayalam film ‘Manichitrathazhu’ drove the story forward.</p>.<p><strong>Early years</strong></p>.<p>Vinaya is one of five children born to S Krishna Bhat and Vatsala. “My parents encouraged us to read, learn music and ask questions. They led exemplary lives and taught us the importance of good values,” Vinaya tells Showtime.</p>.<p>She owes her good pronunciation and diction to the many stories by her father. “My father made sure he told us one story a day — ‘dinakkondu kathe’, as we would call it. I picked up a good vocabulary and developed a love for reading by listening to those stories. We led a tension-free childhood and this set the stage for a good life for all of us,” says Vinaya.</p>.<p>Her father retired as a divisional officer with the LIC and mother worked as a school teacher. She also taught handicraft to students of<br />B Ed. “My mother stitched very well. All the dresses, skirts and salwars that my sisters and I wore were stitched by her. She experimented with the latest designs and fashion. We wore the best. Her embroidery is very impressive,” says Vinaya.</p>.<p>Her father died two years ago and her 76-year-old mother is in Udupi. “During the pandemic, she stitched masks and distributed them for free,” she says.</p>.<p>When Vinaya got into acting, her mother accompanied her for the shoots. “My mother was well-versed with the technicalities of filmmaking. She was a good observer and learnt a great deal about the importance of lighting, editing and picked up jargons of filmmaking just by being on the shooting sets,” she adds.</p>.<p>Vinaya completed her schooling from St Cecily’s Convent in Udupi and graduation in commerce from Poornaprajna College. “I learnt the basics of acting and theatre in my college days. My love for theatre and the stage began then. The dedication and commitment that was taught to me by my teachers then have stood me in good stead even to this day,” she says.</p>.<p><strong>First big break</strong></p>.<p>Vinaya was still in college when she got offered to play one of three queens to the king in Madhvacharya. The film did well and she was offered to play a prominent role in Prema Bhat’s ‘Badukinalli ondu Thiruvu’ (meaning a turning point in life) after its release. It was a television project that aired 13 episodes on Doordarshan.</p>.<p>“It was at this time that I got a call from director Phani Ramachandra wanting to cast me in ‘Ganeshana Maduve’ opposite Anant Nag. He felt that I perfectly suited the requirements of character,” says Vinaya. ‘Ganeshana Maduve’ broke all box office records at the time.</p>.<p>Vinaya says that she enjoyed acting with Anant Nag. “We shared common interests. We both love reading and come from a theatre background. Anant was always willing to learn and never wore his stardom on his sleeve,” says Vinaya.</p>.<p>“Our on-screen chemistry in ‘Ganeshana Maduve’ was much-talked-about and appreciated. We were good at improvising, thanks to our strong foundation in theatre. The director appreciated our impromptu improvisations and would incorporate them in the shots,” she adds.</p>.<p>She and Anant would spend quality time discussing books, theatre and music among other things. Vinaya has acted with every big star from Vishnuvardhan, Chiranjeevi, Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, Ambareesh, V Ravichandran to Shivrajkumar, but she finds it hard to pick out her favourite co-star. “They have each excelled in their field and are brilliant performers in their own way,” she says.</p>.<p>Vinaya is one of the few actors who has had the chance to share screen space with the late S P Balasubrahmanyam (SPB). She acted with him in ‘Hrudaya Kallaru’ and ‘Kalyanotsava.’ “He was a famous singer by then, but acting brought out a different side of him. He was a sensitive actor and emoted brilliantly. He never missed an opportunity to lighten the sets with his jokes and laughter,” recalls Vinaya. Vinaya’s role in television serials made her a household name. Some of her serials have had the longest-running episodes till date.</p>.<p><strong>Family life</strong></p>.<p>Vinaya shares a close bond with her daughter Prathama Prasad. “She and I hold different views about most things in life but we are inseparable,” she says. She adds, “When I broke my hand during shooting two years ago, it was my daughter who took care of me. She bathed and fed me. She has a small child, but her selfless ways and warmth are something I will cherish for life.” </p>.<p>Vinaya doesn’t look anything like her age. What’s the secret? “I wake up every morning like it is the first day of my life. I see and absorb everything around me and I am open to learning. Good exercise and long walks keep me healthy,” she signs off.</p>