“I’m grateful to my family for their unconditional support,” says Niharika Konidela who doesn’t take her position for granted. She values every opportunity that she gets because that is where she always wanted to be — in front of the arc lights. Talented and grounded, she has handled her debut film’s debacle with grace and is steadily making inroads into the world of web series. Niharika has signed a few films and is confident that the coming months will throw up some nice surprises. Excerpts from a conversation:
What made you take up this project?
Producer MS Raju who is a family friend, told me that a young director wanted to narrate a story to me; his son Sumant Ashwin was playing the lead in it. Lakshman Karya had done a web series Yendukila with Sumanth Ashwin. I saw those trailers and found it interesting. He had an interesting take on this script Happy Wedding and the fact that he understood the woman’s point of view before the marriage and her parents view was something that I really connected to.
How can you judge a director’s ability to execute his story?
Most of the time I go by my instinct. Many times when a director is a good narrator the film might not turn out to be good and also there are times when a person is not articulate but the film could be a huge hit. I usually tend to play characters that I am in not in real life. I can be a Niharika all my life, why play that again?
Did people reject your debut film because you weren’t too vocal in it?
If I had done a talkative, bubbly role in my debut, none would give me a subtle character after that. I always wanted to do something like that. In my TV shows I am loud, but there, I am supposed to be loud and friendly with all those around.
Does criticism and appreciation by the director affect you?
There are some scenes where one needs to be very dramatic depending on the genre and what the director is looking for. More than the appreciation, I would look forward to his valuable suggestions and honest comments. That challenges me more and helps me grow as an actor than the appreciation. Compliments also helps your confidence but I prefer this.
What do you look for in a story?
I get only five or six scripts because of few misconceptions people have about me, that I insist on being throughout the script, that I am unapproachable. That is not true. I look for some intelligence in the story though I don’t intend to change the writing in Telugu film industry. In my debut Tamil film, my character is not on par with both the heroes but there is a reason to why I am in the story. My character has a beginning, middle and end. Don’t get me a film because you need a romantic scene or a song. If the film has a potential to be a big success but little scope for a heroine character, then I am not doing it.
A heroine-centric film is viewed as a prelude to the last stage in the career. Comment.
If a heroine does a ghost or a cop film and it becomes a blockbuster, no one will talk. If someone comes up with Mahanati- like films more often, people might change their perception of cinema.
What are your expectations from the industry?
I want acknowledgement of our hard work. Acting is the most difficult job; sitting with make-up and hair all done, waiting for long hours to give that perfect shot that the director could approve of... I want people to acknowledge that we are as hard-working as anybody else and know that fame doesn’t come easily.
