‘I’m not worried about being overshadowed’

How did you bag the role of Shruti in Barfi!?

Anurag was on the lookout for an actor to play Shruti,a girl who falls in love with a deaf and mute conman. He came across some of my work,got in touch with my agent and we eventually met. Within an hour,he had offered me the role. He told me that he had found his Shruti,and that it’s up to me if I want to do this role. I was a bit hesitant because I hadn’t envisioned a Bollywood debut in a film as unconventional as this. At first,it seemed like a risk because it’s neither a romantic comedy,nor an action entertainer — like the films I’m used to down in the South. Finally,I decided to take the path I’d never taken before.

A lot of actors have started their careers in the South and made their way to Bollywood. Was this part of your plan?

I was shy as a young girl. Being in the limelight,or becoming an actor was not on my agenda. But everything happened fast. First,I landed a few ads,then I got an offer for a movie and,before I knew it,I’d done several films. I’ve never had my plans etched out. With Barfi!,the right offer just came along so I decided to go with the flow.

Why choose a two-heroine project for a Bollywood debut?

This is a wonderful film and I absolutely love the story. Yes,I was scared at first,but only because I was insecure that I may not be able to pull off the character well enough. But I am not worried about being overshadowed. Priyanka (Chopra) and I have different characters — both of which are very strong. And my role in the film allows me to showcase my acting skills.

Very few actors from the South have succeeded in Bollywood. Does this make you nervous?

Every actor is different. Some of them succeed,others don’t. You can’t typecast us just because we started off in the South. Maybe some of the girls recently haven’t made the right choices or found the apt films. I hope the audience will watch Barfi! with an open mind and judge me based on what they see.

What are the expectations from an actor in the South as compared to in Bollywood?

The films in the South are of a different variety,mostly out-and-out entertainers. Barfi! is not as commercial as anything I’ve done in the past. In the South,you can go over-the-top with your acting and it still looks fantastic. With Barfi!,I was so immersed in the character that it didn’t feel like I was acting.