By Raashii Khanna returned to Kollywood this year with ‘Aranmanai 4,’ which has become the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2024. The actress discusses with us her experience of navigating multiple film industries simultaneously, achieving a hat-trick of hits in Tamil cinema, maintaining detachment from the success or failure of her films, her fashion choices, and more.
‘I’VE REMAINED BALANCED THROUGH THE UPS AND DOWNS’
I’ve never been overly attached to a film’s outcome. I’ve always stayed very balanced through both the highs and lows. When you get too attached to the result, it hinders your ability to move forward and fully focus on the next project. It’s crucial to be in a positive mindset when starting a new film; otherwise, you’re not doing it justice. I don’t get overly ecstatic about success, nor do I get very down about failure. I navigate somewhere in between. A film might not perform well at the box office, but I might have enjoyed the process or grown as an actor because of it.
‘I FEEL MORE CONFIDENT AS AN ACTOR THAN EVER’
Today, I feel more confident as an actor than ever before because I get to explore various genres. I’ve reached a point in my career where I genuinely enjoy the work I’m doing. I have ‘The Sabarmati Report’ in Hindi with Vikrant Massey. We’ve also completed another film together, currently referred to as TME, as the makers have not yet revealed the title. It has been one of the most challenging films I’ve done. I’ve wrapped up shooting for my Tamil film ‘Methavi,’ which will also be in the horror genre. In July, I’ll begin working on the Telugu film ‘Telusu Kada,’ which falls within the love story genre.
‘You cannot connect with your audience unless you know their language’
Language is no longer a barrier for me because I can now speak Tamil and Telugu. Hindi remains a bit more comfortable since it’s my first language, but I no longer see language as an obstacle. I made a concerted effort to learn the languages of the industries I’m working in; otherwise, you cannot connect with your audience. Now, I feel at ease on Tamil or Telugu film sets because I understand and speak the languages well.
‘Tamannaah is down to earth’
My co-stars Tamannaah and Vikrant, like me, are outsiders in the industry. Tamannaah started her career very young without any industry background. Vikrant faced years of struggle. I have a special admiration for those who succeed without any godfathers, as it’s not easy. I love learning about their journeys and how they achieved success. They are both very grounded individuals. Tamannaah, in particular, is incredibly down to earth.
