Actor Keerthy Suresh made her acting debut with filmmaker Priyadarshan’s horror film Geethaanjali (2013). And in a career spanning a decade, she has emerged as a force to reckon with. Though she has a slew of hit films to her credit, it was Mahanati (2018) based on the life of late actor Savitri, that truly proved to be a game-changer for her. It won her wide critical acclaim and a National Award in 2019.
Last year was particularly special for Keerthy as she featured in the super hit film Sarkaru Vaari Paata and delivered two noteworthy performances in Vaashi and Saani Kaayidham, which is considered to be one of her best roles. And now, she is headlining the multilingual action-thriller Dasara, which sees her reuniting with actor Nani. Dasara, that released today, touches upon the socio economic condition, political ambition and power struggle of the Singareni collieries and sees Keerthy playing Vennela, the heart of the story, as stated by Nani. Having released across India and 1300 screens in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it is touted to be the biggest film of the summers. As per reports, more than 2300 tickets have already been sold in the UK.
News18 exclusively catches up with Keerthy as she talks about playing women that make for a combination of fierce and fragile, being called ‘the next lady superstar of Kollywood’, working with Nani once again and more. Excerpts:
What’s your headspace like now?
I feel butterflies in my stomach before every release. It feels like an exam. No matter how much you study, when a test is nearing, the number of butterflies just keep growing. With every film, I feel a sense of responsibility.
Your first film with Nani was Nenu Local (2017). What’s it like being on a set with him?
If I’m on a film set with Nani and we talk for five hours, four hours and forty-five minutes will be about cinema. I know about the kind of passion he has for cinema, which I really love about him.
You have been hailed for your author-backed roles in films like Mahanati and Vaashi and changing the narrative pertaining to women in commercial cinema. Is playing a strong woman a priority for you?
You don’t have to be strong all the time. As an actor, I need to play all kinds of characters – even vulnerable parts or anything that a particular script requires me to do. Yes, the character has to be something that has more screen space. In Nenu Local, my first film with Nani, I played a vulnerable girl. In Dasara, my character is fun and naughty. Anyone from Telangana or even the rest of the country will connect to Vennela. She is vulnerable but has a lot of strength too.
Some are comparing Dasara to Pushpa: The Rise (2021) and even the KGF series. What’s your thought on the comparisons?
I think it’s because of the tone of the film and how Nani’s character is dressed up. I think a lot of people from rural backgrounds dress up a certain way. But Dasara is completely different in terms of the story, the set-up and the [overall] experience. We haven’t seen a lot of rural films and maybe that’s why Dasara is being compared to Pushpa. We don’t have too many other films to compare it to. But these two films belong to two different genres. Our film is very rooted and so, the script demanded mythological references. We’ve also picturised a lot of rituals, which haven’t been shown in a lot of other films. Nani is confident that people won’t draw any comparisons after they watch our film.
Many believe that you are the next lady superstar in the making…
We’ve one lady superstar. So, I don’t think that phrase should be used for me (laughs)!
But are you aware of the frenzy surrounding you in other parts of the country too?
Two to three years back, I was roaming around the streets of Kolkata. Somebody came to me and said that he wanted a picture with me. I was sure that he doesn’t know me. I told him that he might have mistaken me for someone else. Then he told me that he has seen me in some Hindi film. But I didn’t even do a single Hindi film (laughs)! So, he showed me my own picture in his phone. Then I realised that he’s showing me a still from a dubbed film. It was so funny! But it was such pleasure too. It’s so good to know that they receive our films so well. They watch all our films that are dubbed in Hindi.
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