Kalyani Priyadarshan may be three films old in Telugu filmdom, but when she got an opportunity to address the audience at the pre-release event of Ranarangam , she spoke confidently in Telugu. In her opening lines, she conveyed exactly the opposite of what she wanted to and turned towards director Trivikram Srinivas for approval.
Though amused, the director and actor Sharwanand nodded encouragingly. She happily continued her speech.
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Grimacing, she says, “A year back, I was not even exposed to Telugu cinema or language, but considering where I am now, I guess I made some good progress. Most of the female leads from different parts of the country come here and learn the language. One day I shoot for a Malayalam film and then another day in Tamil, then two days later I am in Hyderabad attempting to converse in Telugu. Once you get used to it you will be fine.”
She is glad to have made her debut at this point of time when Telugu cinema is moving away from formula. She says, “When I came in I noticed a couple of good projects happening here, but someone told me that it wasn’t the case a few years back. For some reason, I shied away from watching Telugu films but now I am hooked to them.” She adds, “I’ve always loved telling stories. And when I hear a good story, I’m confident to bring it to life. Most of the films I was exposed to were Malayalam and Tamil. Telugu films were different in content and making. I was exposed to it suddenly.”
Kalyani’s parents (actor Lissy and director Priyadarshan) always made sure she grew up strong and independent, she says. It is destiny that made her an artist. She has seen audience’s love for cinema and wanted to act and once started, did not want to stop; it became an addiction. She didn’t know if she would be a director or an actor but was sure she would associated with some part of cinema. She looks back, “I got a degree in architecture for the educational experience but in terms of career, everything is cinema. If I were actually working behind the camera I would have been confident. As a child I was on the sets all the time, even during vacation. Had I known I would be an actor, I’d have groomed and trained myself better. Dad helped me believe in myself and boosted my confidence. Despite the initial trepidation, I think I am growing with each film and I finished three films already. I might be a director in the future but as of now I think this is my calling and I am living it, enjoying every bit.”
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In Ranarangam , one can see the transformation in her character, which is a challenge for any actor and Kalyani believes, she’s pulled it off.