Aishwarya Raj Bhakuni will soon be seen as Manushi Chhillar’s sister in Samrat Prithviraj. The film, which stars Akshay Kumar in the titular role, will release on June 3. The Free Press Journal caught up with the actress for an exclusive chat.
Opening up about her journey in tinseltown, Aishwarya shares, “My journey in Bollywood has always been hard and difficult because when I came to Mumbai, I had no clue where I had to go. I had no godfather. I started from the very basics. I slowly started with TV shows and then web series. I slowly transformed and got into Bollywood and Telugu films. It took me six years to reach here as I had no support. I have figured everything out on my own, and I can proudly say whatever I am, it’s because of me and my parents. They had faith in me that I could come this far, and I will definitely go way further than this.”
When asked how she bagged the role in the YRF project, she explains, “The Yash Raj casting team had my introduction, so when the requirement for the role came, they called me for the audition. I went there and gave the audition, and after the audition was done, they called everyone for a brief interview with the team. I went and cleared that as well, so that’s how I got the role. Working with Yash Raj is obviously like a dream come true. Every person who comes to Mumbai to become an actor has a dream to enter and be a part of Yash Raj. I am so glad to be a part of this film.”
Talking about the camaraderie she has with co-star Manushi, Aishwarya gushes, “The camaraderie with Manushi was amazing on camera and off-camera. She is a beautiful person inside out, and she is a beautiful actress. I just had fun working with her and giving shots. Off-camera, she was very warm and nice. Overall it was a good experience with her.”
A still from Samrat Prithviraj
When asked about her character, its historical significance and whether she followed her director Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi, she says, “I’m a director’s actor. I follow the director blindly because he has already done a lot of research, and he has put years of effort into it. That is the reason I get the best output on screen.”
On a parting note, she talks about her future projects. “Next, I have two South films coming up. One is with Mythri Movie Makers, and Kalyanram (Nandamuri) is doing the film. Another film is Sasana Sabha which is also a big film. I’m currently shooting for my next Bollywood film, which has an amazing concept and is a women-centric movie, and I’m the whole and sole of the film. I’m just loving the experience,” she concludes.
