Mumbai, February 18 Following her success in Telugu cinema with "Sita Ramam" and "Hi Nanna", actress Mrunal Thakur says she has made a conscious choice to engage with both Bollywood and South cinema.
Born to a Marathi-speaking family in Dhule city, Maharashtra, Thakur garnered acclaim for her performance in her debut in Telugu films in the 2022 period romance drama, "Sita Ramam", opposite Dulquer Salmaan, and followed it with another romantic-drama, "Hi Nanna" with Nani.
"When I started my career, there were so many things on the planner, I needed to do this or that, but the timing wasn't right then. Now that the timing is right, I want to make sure that I give my all and balance both industries," Thakur, who started her acting career with TV shows like "Mujhse Kuch Kehti... Yeh Khamoshiyaan" and "Kumkum Bhagya", told
"I've been listening to stories, and hearing fantastic narratives. But I need to be careful about what I choose as my debut Tamil film, as the audience in Telangana will watch my content.
"My debut with 'Sita Ramam' has set a very high benchmark, so I'm waiting for that best Tamil script. I hope that happens soon. The language of the films doesn't matter to me; what matters is the emotion. I'm comfortable with Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam; let's see where I go," Thakur said.
The actress is now looking forward to the release of her upcoming Hindi film, "Do Deewane Seher Mein". The romantic-drama is directed by Ravi Udaywar, known for "Mom", and stars Siddhant Chaturvedi opposite her.
The film is billed as an "imperfectly perfect" love story between two socially awkward millennials – Shashank and Roshni – navigating their journey amidst their personal insecurities and societal pressures.
She said, unlike her previous Hindi films including "Super 30", "Batla House", and "Do Deewane...", this allows her to explore a character set in the 2020s.
"As an actor, you should do something that resonates with you and hasn't been done before. We wanted to do a film ('Do Deewane...') that is out of the box. There are a lot of Shashanks and Roshnis around us.
"It's about how you overcome difficulties, and when you are with the right partner, you rise in love and don't fall in love," Thakur said, adding that the film's journey taught her the importance of self-love.
The actress is thrilled to have fulfilled her dream of being a 'David Dhawan heroine' in his upcoming film, "Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai". She stars alongside Varun Dhawan and Pooja Hegde.
Describing the experience "like a party", Thakur expressed her joy in working with the veteran director.
"It's a classic David Dhawan movie. I grew up watching his movies. Regardless of whether I'm happy or sad, I watch his movies. It's surreal to be there on a set with him," she said, adding, Karisma Kapoor is her all-time favourite David Dhawan heroine.
As for the rumors of a collaboration with South director Atlee and superstar Allu Arjun on their upcoming film, tentatively titled, "AA22xA6", Thakur said she is keeping her "fingers crossed".
"I want to be a part of it. After watching 'Pushpa 1' and 'Pushpa 2', and all the films Allu sir has done, and his dancing and rhythm... I'm just a big fan of him. I've interacted with him a couple of times, and I can say that as a person, he's very kind and genuine. I'm manifesting it," Thakur said.
Backed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Zee Studios, "Do Deewane Seher Mein" is set to release theatrically on February 20.
