Always knew I would have to work hard to find a place in the industry, says actor Payal Rajput

In an interview with DH, actor Payal Rajput opens up about her latest movie Anaganaga O Athidhi

Actor Payal Rajput says that she was mentally prepared to work hard to find a place in the film industry even before she started her professional journey as she is an ‘outsider’.

“I always knew that I would have to work hard to find my way in the industry as there are a lot of (established) names here. I was mentally prepared for it (the struggle),” she told DH.

The fast-rising star will soon be seen in the the eagerly-awaited Telugu movie Anaganaga O Athidhi, a remake of the Kannada movie Aa Karaala Ratri . She says she took up the thriller as it is not a ‘conventional story’.

Also read: Payal Rajput says she is not doing a special number in Kamal Haasan’s ‘Indian 2’

“Anaganaga O Athidhi is a not a conventional story as it goes beyond what we have seen before. I was speechless after watching the original version and feel the remake will help me emerge as a versatile actor,” says the actor

The film has been directed by Dayal Padmanabhan, who had helmed the original version, and marks his Tollywood debut. Payal says that he is a stellar storyteller and managed to wrap up the shoot faster than expected.

“He has a clear vision and gave me the liberty to approach the role my way,” adds the Venky Mama actor.

Payal began her Tollywood career with the 2018 release RX 100, which emerged as a sleeper hit. She says that she was ‘clueless’ about things while working on the film as she was new to the industry. She adds that things are a bit different now as ‘ab pressure hain’.

Industry insiders had high hopes from Payal post RX 100 but things did not go as planned as her next big release RDX Love, featuring her in the role of an activist, did not live up to expectations.

She says that she was not too affected by the RDX Love debacle as her job is to just to act in a film and let the audience decide everything else.

“It does disappoint you but then I don’t take such things (stardom/ failure) seriously. Once I am done with by job I am done with it. It is upto the audience to receive the film,” she said.

Anaganaga O Athidhi is slated to stream on AHA from November 13 and it remains to be seen whether it helps Payal add a new dimension to her career.