What would you inform your youthful self in the present day?
(Laughs) Take extra holidays and don’t exercise so aggressively. All my trainers would ask me after I slept as a result of I’d wind up for coaching at one am, 4 am, or six am. Then I realised that sleep was extra essential than pushing myself bodily. I’d additionally inform her to take a while out for herself and spend extra time with mates. Actually, I’m nonetheless pushed in terms of work. But I don’t thoughts as a result of work is a variety of enjoyable for me.
What had been the fears and anxieties that you simply had when working, and the way did you take care of them?
Even after I had these back-to-back blockbusters, I by no means related that with my success. For me, it was going through the digital camera and taking part in these characters. People nonetheless discuss Kalloori, a Tamil movie that I did very early in my profession and Happy Days and Oosaravelli, a Telugu blockbuster through which I performed an attention-grabbing character. That individuals nonetheless keep in mind them is extraordinarily validating. I got here to turn out to be an actor and I grew to become a star. I didn’t know what to do with all that love and adulation that was coming my means. Somehow I took it as a duty that my viewers ought to at all times really feel entertained after I come on display. I wished to present them that have each time I did a film. Today I look again and realise that there is no such thing as a foolproof means of consolidating your self as an actor. Only the one who stays longest is the proof, as a result of names change each Friday. For me the edge stored rising as a result of there was by no means some extent the place I felt glad. And I really feel I’m nonetheless not there. It’s an limitless pit and I’m able to dive in.
Your success within the South didn’t translate in Mumbai. Did that hassle you?
The movies I made right here didn’t work as a result of it was their future. I by no means took it as a private failure as a result of a film is made with lots of people contributing to it. That means, I’m a bit indifferent from each my successes and failures. I don’t take both severely. I’m alive. I’m right here. That’s how I take a look at it. After 17 years, I nonetheless get up day-after-day desirous to do it time and again. Acting is my ardour. I get up to face the digital camera. It excites me essentially the most. And proper now, I’m taking part in totally different characters. It’s time for actors as a result of there are a variety of higher written roles and so they can do extra when it comes to performances. That’s true even for feminine actors. We didn’t have these well-written components.
But you probably did do some attention-grabbing roles in Tamil movies once you set out…
But I really feel I briefly suffered from the nice woman syndrome due to the components I started to play.
The enterprise of movies has modified and movies are being promoted so aggressively. What else has modified because you began?
The most intriguing factor about in the present day is that there is no such thing as a definition of an actor-entertainer. It’s what you create that defines you. There are so many platforms and each platform is nearly as impactful because the others. It is dependent upon the place you do your factor and the place you’re getting an opportunity to authentically specific your self. For me, that is so thrilling as a result of I by no means favored the truth that I used to be being outlined as this South Indian industrial heroine. I used to be this actor who was at all times lusting for difficult components. So after I did Babli Bouncer, the entire expertise was so cathartic. It was enjoyable, whether or not it was talking Haryanvi, driving a Bullet or having the physique language of a bouncer. And it wasn’t outlined by gender stereotypes. I actually loved that. It was the perfect a part of it.
From the magnificent Baahubali to tremendous hits, you might have performed a number of characters. What function got here closest to who you’re?
I simply did a present known as Jee Karda which was directed by Arunima Sharma. When I heard it, I believed it was uncanny as a result of it began with creepy particulars like my character liking the identical ice cream flavour as I do. And I had enjoyable working with Arunima as a result of she is such a improbable director. This is her first venture, however she shot it like a complete stud. She was closely pregnant when she shot the present and it was a loopy expertise to have a director who’s within the superior stage of being pregnant go at it and have a ball of a time. I don’t suppose I’ll ever overlook the expertise.
Your dad handles the enterprise facet of your career and your mother chaperones you to the units. How did they make their peace with showbiz?
It’s not simply me who has grown mentally and emotionally within the business. It’s additionally them. I come from a middle-class household and it was an enormous factor to enter the business as a result of no person knew what it was going to be like. But they went all out to help me and to this point, all the things has been taken care of. They have additionally advanced with me, assembly pretty, wonderful and generally loopy individuals and making nice reminiscences with me. I’m a really pleasant individual and I’m one of many few individuals who would exit and provides interviews. Promotions should not a factor within the South, as they hardly promote their movies. It’s much more fluid within the Hindi movie business. And it’s one thing I miss there. But the work ethics I’ve realized are at all times going to be part of me.
There’s a variety of poisonous masculinity within the South, so was there any scene or movie the place you didn’t conform to it?
In the South, sure formulation are used as a result of they’re straightforward. In sure industrial movies, I couldn’t relate to my characters and would request that the filmmaker decrease the depth. Having mentioned that, I got here to some extent the place I finished doing these components. I began making a aware effort to not be a part of such movies the place poisonous masculinity is well known to the purpose the place it’s virtually insupportable.
Baahubali modified the panorama of Indian films.
Scale was by no means married to feelings so fantastically on celluloid in India, because it was in Baahubali. And Rajamouli sir did it so fantastically. His imaginative and prescient was profound and made sense. He undoubtedly opened the trail for therefore many actors and filmmakers who wished to foray into this sort of filmmaking.
And you had been fortunate to be a part of this magnificent movie.
True! The attention-grabbing half is that the capturing for the movie had commenced a yr and a half earlier than I joined them. Rajamouli sir known as me and advised me they might be capturing the primary a part of the movie with me and I questioned how that labored. I had the least quantity of preparation to play Avantika. The others had months to arrange, whereas I used to be simply pushed on the units. And I used to be to play a warrior princess, journey a horse and struggle. Rajamouli sir actually supported me. I’ve by no means been prepared for the excessive moments of my life. But these moments are actually useful to me in the present day as a result of nothing daunts me when one thing new comes up. In truth, that’s what challenges me.
Any relationship ideas you want to give?
Never suppose an excessive amount of. I’ve interacted with a number of {couples} who’re married and glad of their relationships. They mentioned you must simply loosen up, chill, and let issues circulate organically. And that’s the recommendation I’d give myself too. Not to overthink. Also, you could love your self; to search out somebody who can love you the way in which you need! I don’t suppose I cherished myself sufficient earlier. I used to be somewhat essential of myself, which got here from my skilled facet. That critique at all times prevented me from discovering the one that might love me the way in which I wished to be cherished. And now that I do, I don’t suppose it’ll be so arduous to search out love.