She’s waited an unusually long time for her second film to hit the screens. But actor Srinidhi Shetty hasn’t been alone in this wait – she has millions of fervent cinema buffs waiting with bated breath for the release of KGF: Chapter 2, the second instalment of the magnum opus that was KGF. The model-turned-actor, who plays Reena Desai in the film series, says she is experiencing an array of emotions ahead of her movie’s release.
With the trailer of KGF 2 crossing a whopping 109 million views in just 24 hours, Srinidhi says, “I’m extremely happy about the positive response. Our film’s release has taken so long because the pandemic intervened, resulting in a two-year delay and three changes to the release date. I don’t think I’ll believe the movie has released until April 14 when it actually hits the screens. We’re all overjoyed that our trailer surpassed the teaser record in 24 hours.”
The former Miss Supranational has been associated with this pan-India project for six years now. “KGF part 1 also took 2-3 years to be completed. With part 2, there was excitement but there was also some frustration because we were all under lockdown and had to wait a long time. Every now and then, there was peer and family pressure about why I wasn’t signing another film and why I was clinging on to KGF, but I’d tell them that ‘patience is key’,” she smiles.
While KGF 1 saw Reena in a blink-and-you-miss-it role, she promises more in the sequel. Does she have any scenes with Sanjay Dutt and Raveena Tandon, who will be starring in the second part? “I’m holding myself back from sharing the details because Reena’s role is meant to be a surprise. I want people to wonder if my character has anything to do with Adheera (Dutt) or Ramika Sen (Tandon). This is a secret I’ve kept for the last six years and will have to do so until April 14. I haven’t even told my Dad about it! Viewers will witness how Reena’s presence affects everyone in the film. I really hope audiences connect with her and her emotions,” she expresses.
Since 2016, the KGF movie set has been Srinidhi’s school and home, and her colleagues have been her dear friends. “Director Prashanth Neel is my mentor, father figure, brother and friend. I can call him any time and rely on him for anything,” she shares.
The actor also heaps praise on the film’s leading man Yash and says, “As an established actor, he chose to give five to six years to one project and not take up anything else during that time – this shows his dedication. Even on set, he’s so focused and keeps improvising. Seeing him act reminded me that I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go in my career.”
Given his experience, Yash would guide the newcomer if she was having trouble doing her scenes. “Over the years, we have grown comfortable with each other. There are no starry airs with him and he gives me space when I need it. The fact that this association is coming to an end gives me mixed feelings,” she sighs.
With her contemporaries signing projects aplenty, Srinidhi faced uncertainty because she had signed only one other movie – Cobra, her debut in Tamil. “I also did not find any interesting scripts. I wanted to see what kind of projects come my way after these films are released. Despite the unpredictability, I’d see the bright side of things. I knew that these projects were worth the wait. I told myself not to succumb to pressure and to focus on quality than quantity.”
As a newbie, Srinidhi was able to bag enviable projects that turned out to be big ventures in terms of scale and the star cast. Cobra has superstar Vikram as her co-star. “I took up the project because I knew it starred Vikram sir, who has 30 years of acting experience and is a legend in the industry. I also knew that the director (Ajay Gnanamuthu) had done a great job with his previous film Imaikkaa Nodigal. But once we started filming, I realised that the movie was getting bigger. Even with KGF, I knew that it was a good team but had not realised its scale when I signed it,” she states.
Working with Chiyaan Vikram has been a dream come true for her. “I recall watching Anniyan when I was in high school. We rented a VCD and watched it at home with no subtitles. I didn’t even understand Tamil, but I could figure out the story through visuals. While watching it, I kept thinking to myself that I want to act with Vikram one day, and 15 years later it is actually happening!” she beams, adding that the tentative date for Cobra’s release is May 26.
As for working with the acting powerhouse, she reveals, “Vikram sir is such a fun person – jovial, talkative and the youngest at heart amongst everyone on set. He’s always on the go, full of energy and constantly lifting your spirit up. It’s a treat to watch him act.”
So how is Srinidhi going to choose films in the future, especially given how big her previous ventures were? “I will not select movies based on their scale. To me, the director is the most important factor because he’s the captain of the ship. Then comes the script, which includes how my character has been portrayed, and next is the production company and co-stars. I’m hoping some good scripts come my way,” she signs off.
KGF: Chapter 2 hits the screens on April 14.
Watch the trailer here: