I was destined to be in Chennai: Kushboo Sundar

Having come to Madras at a young age, Kushboo Sundar recalls how she has witnessed the city evolve from Madras to Chennai and yet retain its true essence.Growing up, how did you look at Madras?I first came to Madras as a child actor in the 1980s. It was a different city back then.

If I had to go to Valasaravakam or Vadapalani, it used to be a herculean task. There’d be only narrow roads, and areas beyond Vadapalani would feel like a village.

I used to go to VGP for shooting, and I recall being told not to go alone because we’d be surrounded by just casuarina trees. I have seen the city evolve from Madras to Chennai. I grew up watching Madras, and that feeling is unexplainable.When you moved to Madras, what were you looking forward to?I was a child actor, shooting at AVM Rajeswari, Vijaya Vauhini Studios, and others.

It had no shopping complexes, just single stores. We’d go to Higginbothams on Mount Road; it used to be a feast day for us. It was impossible to get designer wear. We also had theatres like Devi, Pilot and Casino.‘Moving to Madras’ has always been a huge concept in Tamil cinema, and you’d have also seen a lot of people in the industry moving to Madras with big dreams...I was from Bombay, so coming to Chennai was a life changer. People often say that Bombay is the City of Dreams. But for me, it was Chennai. Here, the struggle to achieve your dreams is less. People are warmer and they allow you to grow wholeheartedly.

When you moved to Madras, what was most welcoming about the city?Chennai always felt welcoming because of the very first friend I made here – Brinda Master. Brinda was an assistant choreographer in my first Telugu film, and we became good friends. When I wasn’t doing films, I used to stay at her apartment in Kamaraj Nagar.What does the city mean to you today?I was destined to be in Chennai and find my life here. This city has given me everything; in fact, my first date was in Chennai, at Elliot’s Beach. My love, my friends, my family, my ’80s gang —everyone is here.

I have a lot of memories about Bombay too, but I’ve lifelong memories with Chennai. Even with all the ups and downs, I’ve lived a very happy life in Chennai. I don’t think I would have ever lived anywhere else in the world as happily as I was in Chennai.What's your favourite thing about Madras?Everything — you name anything about Madras and it probably will be my favourite. I love travelling and everyone knows about it. But wherever I go, it’s the moment I step back on the land of Chennai — that mann vaasanai — that’s most blissful.

Earlier, you didn’t have the aerobridge and all. So, when the flight lands and the doors open, you instantly step onto the Chennai land, the Madras breeze brushes past you, and you feel, ‘I’m back home.

’ Chennai has grown over the years and has become one of the fastest-developing cities in India, but there is something about Chennai that remains the same. You go to the Kapaleeshwarar temple or the Vadapalani temple, or walk through the streets of Mylapore or shop in T Nagar — it still carries the essence of Chennai.

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