Nikesha Patel is one disappointed actress. While she thought that she had hit the bull's eye when she was signed for Pawan Kalyan's Komaram Puli about two years ago, the film's subsequent failure has left her with few choices.
"I am not happy with the outcome of the movie. When I read the script, I thought it was a sure-shot hit. It had A.R. Rahman's music and many big names were involved. I thought I would be flooded with offers after this film and several filmmakers asked me not to sign any other movie until this released. I waited for two-and-a-half years and am disappointed with the box office result.
"I have the most to lose as even after Puli, Pawan Kalyan will still do films and the director will continue to make movies. But for a heroine like me, this movie was either a great beginning or the end of everything. I was 19 years old when I signed it and lost valuable time as age is important in showbiz," says Nikesha.
So where did Puli go wrong? "S.J. Surya earlier directed Pawan Kalyan's Khushi and maybe the fans were expecting the same comedy from this film. I guess they were disappointed as there wasn't much comedy in it," she says.
Nikesha now plans to organise a special screening of Puli in Mumbai so she can showcase her talent to Bollywood directors. "Instead of going to each director and showing them my pictures and asking them for roles, it is better to invite them all for a screening and show my performance," says the former Miss Charity Whales, adding, "Thousands of girls go to Mumbai every day with the hope of becoming stars and one needs to have strategy to make it big."
Armed with a four-year acting degree from UK, Nikesha finds it tough to digest the hero worship in the South Indian film industry. She says that she plans to turn a director soon and change this unfair iconisation of heroes. "When I came to this industry, I didn't know that it was so heavily dominated by heroes. I now know that very few actresses get meaty roles."
The actress also said that Telugu audiences like heroines who are bubbly and overact. "I am a very subtle actress and I thought I was overacting for scenes here. But the director told me that the audience would love it. I found it strange and decided to continue doing it since that is what people love to watch."
She said that her parents were surprised after seeing the film. "I am quite rebellious in real life and it was strange for them to see my romantic side on screen and they liked the movie," she says.
Courtesy: DC
"I am not happy with the outcome of the movie. When I read the script, I thought it was a sure-shot hit. It had A.R. Rahman's music and many big names were involved. I thought I would be flooded with offers after this film and several filmmakers asked me not to sign any other movie until this released. I waited for two-and-a-half years and am disappointed with the box office result.
"I have the most to lose as even after Puli, Pawan Kalyan will still do films and the director will continue to make movies. But for a heroine like me, this movie was either a great beginning or the end of everything. I was 19 years old when I signed it and lost valuable time as age is important in showbiz," says Nikesha.
So where did Puli go wrong? "S.J. Surya earlier directed Pawan Kalyan's Khushi and maybe the fans were expecting the same comedy from this film. I guess they were disappointed as there wasn't much comedy in it," she says.
Nikesha now plans to organise a special screening of Puli in Mumbai so she can showcase her talent to Bollywood directors. "Instead of going to each director and showing them my pictures and asking them for roles, it is better to invite them all for a screening and show my performance," says the former Miss Charity Whales, adding, "Thousands of girls go to Mumbai every day with the hope of becoming stars and one needs to have strategy to make it big."
Armed with a four-year acting degree from UK, Nikesha finds it tough to digest the hero worship in the South Indian film industry. She says that she plans to turn a director soon and change this unfair iconisation of heroes. "When I came to this industry, I didn't know that it was so heavily dominated by heroes. I now know that very few actresses get meaty roles."
The actress also said that Telugu audiences like heroines who are bubbly and overact. "I am a very subtle actress and I thought I was overacting for scenes here. But the director told me that the audience would love it. I found it strange and decided to continue doing it since that is what people love to watch."
She said that her parents were surprised after seeing the film. "I am quite rebellious in real life and it was strange for them to see my romantic side on screen and they liked the movie," she says.
Courtesy: DC
