Aishwarya Rajesh is now basking in the success of Sankranthiki Vasthunam, the Sankranthi release, which is still drawing people to the theatres in large numbers. The actress, who established herself as a top star with Tamil movies like the multiple award-winning Kaaka Muttai and Kanaa, now commands the mainstream space in Telugu movies too. Born to Telugu parents (mother from Guntur and father from Hyderabad) and brought up in Chennai, her fluency in Telugu and Tamil provides her with a unique advantage in both industries.In a freewheeling chat, she talks about working with senior actor Venkatesh, and why content is the king.What worked for ‘ Sankranthiki Vasthunam’?I think it’s been quite a while we had a commercial family entertainer. During Sankranthi, people want to have a good time and the movie fit right in. Peopleare stressed out in their lives and they wanted to watch something fun on the big screen. Though action movies have their own fan following, I think therewas an overdose of that genre. That is why, SV came as a breath of fresh air.What made you say yes to the character of ‘Bhagyam’ in the movie?It’s been quite some time that even I have seen such a character in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam or Kannada cinema . The character is so well written. This is an author-backed role that no actress could have refused.How was it working with legendary actor Venkatesh?It has been one the best experiences in my career. I grew up watching his filmsand working alongside him was a great honour. He is a producer’s actor. He always thinks about the time and money being invested in a movie. Because he has been in the industry for so long, he is like this book from which you can learn a lot.How is working in Tollywood different from working in Tamil movie industry?There’s absolutely no difference except for the language. Maybe, Tollywood isa bit more commercial when compared to Tamil cinema, but it’s almost the same.Can the script make or break a film?Yes, at the end of the day, the film’s content is the real king. Nowadays, people are watching Korean, Japanese, Spanish movies and their knowledge about cinema is more vast than ever before. That is why, you cannot take them for granted. Whether it’s a theatre or OTT release, you need to write welletched characters and plot. You also need good performers. We have to treat all aspects of filmmaking seriously.What’s your dream role?My dream role is to play a warrior princess — the women who fought for society. People are becoming very interested in their history and heritage, and there was never a better time to play such a character. These roles also provideyou a larger range to showcase your acting skills.These movies also tell stories from the point of view of women, and we need more of that now since most movies are hero-centric.Women-centric roles or masala entertainers?I will always do meaningful and socially responsible roles — be it women-centric movies or masala entertainers. I will never be in a movie where I am a mere glamour prop. This is why, Iturn down many scripts because my role will have no substance. Till now, I have done 10 women-centric movies. In Kanaa, I played a cricketer. In Ka Pae Ranasingam, which is based on a real-life incident, I play a woman who is trying to get the body of her deceased husband from Dubai. In Great Indian Kitchen, I play every woman who is burdened with the load of domestic labour. So, I have always essayed roles with substance.You have said in a previous interview that some directors do not want to cast you in a big star movies. Is the case still same?Yes, there has been certain hesitation to cast me opposite big stars, but now Ithink that perhaps those roles were not for me. Filmmakers now know thekind of roles I play and it is likely that I was not approached for those rolesfor the same reason. A lot of these big movies might not have roles with substance for women.Your father was an actor. Did he inspire you to take up acting?Not really. My father passed away when I was eight years old. Our tracks were different. For me, it all began from a dance reality show.How did you navigate that rough patch in your life?See, almost every human being goes through a rough patch. I only saw my mom who was working really hard to bring up me and my brother. When I close my eyes, I can only see my mother. She helped us tide over everything. That is why, my only motive in life is to make her happy. Every journey has its own bumpy roads, and almost every actor struggles to reach the top. Right now, I am just grateful for my blessings.What is your next release? Have you signed any Telugu movies?No, I have not signed any movie in Telugu right now. My next release is thethriller Suzhal 2 (Tamil), a series on Amazon Prime.
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