Meenakshi Chaudhary on the need for individuality to survive in the industry: ‘Don't lose your personality to fit in’

Meenakshi Chaudhary, who has several projects in the pipeline in both Telugu and Tamil, tells Hindustan Times about the need to stand out.

While actor Meenakshi Chaudhary is basking in the success of her recent film with Venkatesh, Sankranthiki Vasthunam, she’s also looking forward to her other films in 2025. She tells the Hindustan Times that she has several projects in the pipeline in both Telugu and Tamil. (Also Read: Meenakshi Chaudhary thought audience won't accept her as a mom in Lucky Bhaskar; talks about Vijay, Dulquer, Mahesh Babu)

Meenakshi Chaudhary was recently seen in Sankranthiki Vasthunam.

“In Telugu, there’s one project I have with Naveen Polishetty and another one which they should announce soon. There are a few in Tamil, but I can’t talk about them right now. The production houses will announce when the time is right. There’s some really great lineup for 2025. Some very interesting characters,” says Meenakshi. A dentist and former model, the actor has won several beauty pageant titles which paved the way for her acting career.

Meenakshi Chaudhary's advice to aspiring actors

Ask Meenakshi what advice she’d give young women entering into the film industry now and she says, “So much has changed since the time I came into the industry. One thing I can say is that don’t lose your originality in the process of trying to get somewhere. Because I feel like even on social media, everybody is just being one kind. It’s like a prototype that’s happened now. So, don’t lose out on your personality in the process of trying to fit in. You have to be your own self because if you’re not that, you can be replaced. I think that will help you survive better and last longer. That’s what I have always believed in and tried to stay in.”

On the Hindi film industry

Does she think the Hindi film industry has a lot of prototypes? “I feel every space does. For the longest time, we had a notion that a south heroine should be plump and so on. I was the exact opposite of all that. In Bollywood, too, I feel like there’s a certain prototype, but it has changed. If you take Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt and Kiara Advani, they are all so different from each other, and each has something different to offer. Apart from the fact they’re all great actors and dancers, they all have their own individuality,” she says.

In the same way, here we have Sai Pallavi, Rashmika Mandanna and Samantha, who are all completely different and have their own space. I think Bollywood has now reached a space where they’re looking for new talent and debutants are coming in. This is happening with the South as well. I think this is a great time to be entering the industry and the industry is more accepting as well because they all want to work with new people,” explained the Matka actor.