Lulu Happiness February March 2017 Lulu Happiness February March 2017 | Page 18

STAR
The actress who is now back to enthrall
her fans in Tollywood, is thrilled with the
response she’s getting for ‘Gautamiputra
Sathakarini’. Playing a character from
history set in 1st Century A.D. is a
first for her. Although she graduated in
History, what drove her to be part of the
project? “Honestly, I knew little about
Gautamiputra, but I guess it’s time we
celebrate our history and retell it for
Gen Next. The past gives us a structure
of how we were, are and shall be in the
future. When director Krish narrated
the script to me I was very impressed
with his level of detailing. More than
anything, we are reinforcing the greatness
of Telugu pride and culture, so I flagged
it off pronto,” she recalls.
The film narrates the story of
Gautamiputra Satakarni (played by
Balakrishna), one of the greatest
emperors of the Satavahana dynasty,
and how he unified various kingdoms
to rule the country. Shriya, who plays
Vasishti Devi, Satakarni’s wife, has once
again come off as an actress of mettle.
“Every film that touches you changes
you. There are two ways in which you
can connect with a character: Inside out
and outside in. Playing Vasishti Devi,
I travelled inside out. When you are
doing a character like this, it’s a lifetime
experience. A lot of research went into
the making – costumes, artwork, set
designs, etc.,” she says.
Much like her co-star Balakrishna and
director Krish, the actress feels that
fortuitous events like rain were on their
side during the filming of the majestic
historical. “Although there was a lot
weighing upon the project, things worked
with great precision on the sets. During a
schedule, there were rains for three days.
When I was wondering what next, Krish
asked me to be on the location. It was
nicer when it was raining,” she quips.
But did she feel intimidated while acting
with a seasoned actress like Hema Malini?
“I don’t think of actors as senior and
junior, like they have in IT jobs. She is
very radiant and knowledgeable. There
were times when Balayya garu and she
would have jugalbandi on slokas, history,
etc. It’s nice to know someone who is so
accomplished and yet so grounded,” she
says. Considering she has starred with the
best of the lot in the south, why didn’t she
make a mark in Bollywood? “I’ve no idea,
honestly. In the world of cinema, you can
never put a finger on what works, what
doesn’t. No one knows why a film doesn’t
do well. There are forces bigger than us
and beyond us. Sometimes there is no
explanation. I would be God if I knew that.
At the end of the day, we all want to reach
a bigger audience. That’s what every actor
wants. Why does anybody tell a story?
Because they want it to be heard by more
and more people.”
Are there enough scripts for 30+ actresses?
“I think so. Things are changing. Mindsets
are changing. A lot of new age films have
succeeded. Quite a few 30+ actresses like
Kajol, Kareena and Jyothika are doing very
well. So things are looking good.”
Shriya is also known for her social
conscience. She has supported many
charities and has been closely involved
with a few like CAP Foundation and
Naandi. A few years ago she took it a
18 LULU HAPPINESS FEB-MAR ‘17