JOIN USActor Nikhila Suman is known for her roles on the small screen and on stage. With her latest movie ‘Srinivasa Kalyana’, she is exploring herself on the big screen and loving it. In a candid chat with Tini Sara Anien, the actor says that the movie proved to be a great lesson and a life-changing experience.
This is your first step into the industry as a heroine...
Yes, and it has been a great learning experience. I am from a theatre background and the field has taught me many things. I always wanted to be an actor more than a heroine. I have the hunger to act. I am greedy and I want the screen space for myself (smiles). But I don’t want to rush into any other movies. I’d like to experiment with subject-oriented movies and work on good scripts. I will do characters which are well-narrated.
Why did you choose to work on the project?
A friend asked me to attend an audition and I said that I didn’t want to go for it.
However, the friend convinced me to go. At the audition, I was asked to deliver bold lines. I was taken back as I came from a very conservative family and wasn’t used to certain words. I was even worried how the audience would accept me, but I wanted to do different things. I didn’t want to insignificant roles — my role should play an important part of the movie.
Were you ever apprehensive?
No, I never felt that way as MG Srinivas had established himself through ‘Topiwala’. The confidence of the team was appealing. It is interesting to act with a fresh group as it helped in learning new things. MG Srinivas was very encouraging and open to suggestions.
Tell us a bit about your role...
I play a bold and angry girl. But this is balanced by the fragility of her character, and I liked that. Though the screentime I have may not be a lot, I got to play something very different.
Challenges faced during the making of the movie...
The lines! I had to be comfortable saying some words which I never was. They might be a part of the common man’s language now, but it was challenge for me. I also had to learn to ride a Bullet. The bike is a very heavy one and it isn’t easy to ride it. However, the team motivated me to do it.
Lessons learnt from the project...
It taught me many things — it was a small budget movie and we all used to step in to fill in the gaps whenever something fell out of place. A heroine isn’t just a heroine. With this project, I realised that my role was far beyond just coming to the set, shooting and leaving. I realised that it is the collective effort that made it a success.
Some genres you want to work...
I don’t want to do a role like that of ‘Srinivasa Kalyana’. I want to keep exploring; something like an action-thriller.
What’s next?
There are some discussions going on but nothing has been decided. At the moment, the team and I are just enjoying ‘Srinivasa...’ success.