It has been almost a year since Sriya Reddy made waves as Radha Rama Mannar in Prasanth Neel’s Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire. Since then, you’d expect her to pick multiple projects and be straddled with work. However, Sriya tells Hindustan Times she’s pickier than ever when saying yes to roles. (Also Read: Sai Durgha Tej touches ‘senani mama’ Pawan Kalyan’s feet, hugs him while celebrating a decade in film industry. Watch)
“It has been such an interesting year when I look back on it,” reflects Sriya, adding, “I played the most dominating person in Khansaar palace (Salaar), played a politician (Thalaimai Seyalagam) and shot for what is touted to be one of the biggest films in the Telugu film industry (OG). It has been a reflective year that restructured me in a lot of ways.”
‘I have beautiful scenes with Pawan Kalyan in OG’
Sriya says she’s ‘only working on OG’ now and nothing else, even learning kalaripayattu (a traditional martial art from Kerala) for the role. While a few other projects are in the pipeline, they are yet to be official. “My character in OG is so cool; it’s completely different from Salaar,” she says while talking about the film. “It’s so different you’ll even wonder if it’s the same actor,” she adds.
Sriya praises director Sujeeth for writing her such an ‘interesting character’ in the film, calling him a ‘brilliant and young talent’. She adds, “I feel like he knows what the audience wants and will deliver it. It’s definitely one of the better roles I’ve done in my career, even if I won’t call it my best yet.”
I ask Sriya what it is like to work with the film’s lead, Pawan Kalyan (also the Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh), and she replies, “I shot a few scenes with Pawan. What really attracted me to him is that he’s so intelligent, well-mannered, and dignified. He has such an electric personality. The way he conducts himself and talks is interesting. We have some beautiful scenes together in the film. I look forward to seeing what people think of it.”
‘I want to step it up for Salaar 2’
Looking back, Sriya also recollects how Prashanth Neel first approached her to play Radha and told her she would play the ‘most dominating person’ in the Khansaar palace. “He asked me if I wanted to overtake the men, and I said, why not? After so many years in the industry, people love to box you in, but this film proves that well-written roles matter irrespective of their run-time. And for a man to envision a role like that for a woman is admirable,” she says of her character.
But after the film’s success, and more importantly with the feedback she has gotten for her role, Sriya says she also knows ‘what she needs to do’ for the sequel, Salaar: Part 2 – Shouryanga Parvam. “I need Radha to come in full force in the sequel. There are things I’ve been talking to Prashanth about: what to change and how to make her better…I want to step it up,” she explains.
‘I was oddly offered glamorous roles after Salaar’
Speaking of boxing in, has Salaar opened more doors for her or stereotyped her into being offered these ‘strong’ women? I wonder. Sriya replies, “Honestly, I haven’t gotten anything that has made me go wow after Salaar. I got many offers, but I don’t want to repeat myself. I was oddly also offered a lot of glamorous roles after Salaar was released…you know those seductive kinds of roles? I don’t know whether I should take it as a compliment or not. But I’m clear on what I want to do.”
And what is it that she wants to do? I ask, and she replies, “I’ve never done a role for the sake of it, nor will I ever do it, no matter how big the superstar and even if it’s a Hindi film. I believe we’re in an era where women get to shine. Not every day, a film headlined by Prabhas will have a woman playing the villain. Radha is not just ruthless; she’s beautiful and sexy…that doesn’t usually happen. But, I would like to diversify and do various roles, so I’m not stereotyped. I don’t want to do something just for money or fame.”
Sriya, who was a VJ on SS Music and debuted on the silver screen in 2002 with Samurai, has big dreams she wants to fulfil, including becoming a producer. “I believe that as an actor, if you want to tell a story, you must also be a part of the journey at some point. So I want to begin producing good films too sometime in the future. It took me 15 years to find a film like Salaar, and I don’t want to wait 15 more years for something like that,” she rounds off.