Samyuktha found it difficult to act in Telugu films initially due to the makeup: ‘I was used to looking natural’
In a recent interview, actor Samyuktha opened up about the biggest challenge she faced when she shifted to Telugu and Tamil cinema from Malayalam.
When Samyuktha made her debut in Telugu with the 2022 film Bheemla Nayak, the actor who was from Kerala found it difficult to adapt to the film industry. No, it was not because she didn’t know the language, but because she had to wear makeup! In an interview with Galatta Plus, the actor admitted that while it ‘sounds silly’ she did have a tough time with it initially. (Also Read: Samyuktha reacts to being called a ‘heroine with golden leg’: ‘It’s time we do away with such tags’)
‘I had a bindaas life in Kerala’
When Samyuktha was asked what she found different about the three south Indian film industries, she stated that while language wasn’t a barrier, the grooming was. She said, “When we do movies in Malayalam, we are very close to being so natural, and not in the acting. I had a bindaas, free life there. Here (in Telugu) you have to act, you have to take care of yourself, be conscious about how you look on screen and groom yourself. That was not really me at that point.”
Samyuktha also gave an example of how when she didn’t know enough Telugu and Tamil, she would ready herself for a shot only for a costume crew member to interrupt her flow. “I’m taking a deep breath, okay, I’m in the mood, mugging up my lines. I’m ready to do the shot. And my saree draper would come running because my saree’s pleats don’t look perfect enough. So, that wasn’t easy. It sounds silly, but I would find it difficult to act because I would feel there’s something on my skin. I was used to going makeup-free with free hair and all in Malayalam.”
Upcoming work
Samyuktha has numerous films in her kitty in Malayalam and Telugu. In Malayalam, she will star in Jeethu Joseph’s Ram with Mohanlal. In Telugu, she is yet to shoot for Bharat Krishnamachari period actioner Swayambhu, which also stars Nikhil Siddhartha and Nabha Natesh. Apart from that, she will star in Ram Abbaraju’s comedy-drama with Sharwanand.