A South superstar's private apology to Tamannaah Bhatia now goes public. Actress reveals superstar's behaviour after she refused a scene

Economic Times

7 hours ago

Synopsis
Tamannaah Bhatia, a prominent South Indian actress, recently shared her early career challenges, including an incident where a male actor suggested replacing her after she voiced discomfort with a scene. She also addressed rumors linking her romantically to Virat Kohli, clarifying their interaction was purely professional and limited to a single commercial shoot.
Agencies Tamannaah Bhatia's Journey: Rising Through Rejection, Rumours, and Resolve Tamannaah Bhatia, now a top-tier actress in South Indian cinema, didn't have an easy beginning in the film industry. During a candid conversation with The Lallantop , the Baahubali star reflected on the early challenges she faced as a young newcomer. Entering the entertainment world at a tender age, she was forced to confront the harsh reality that female actors are often seen as replaceable. This awareness struck early in her career, shaping her understanding of the industry's dynamics.She recalled being cast alongside a prominent South Indian male actor, only to find herself in a troubling situation. While filming, she encountered a scene that made her deeply uncomfortable. Choosing to voice her concerns and uphold her personal boundaries, she informed the team that she was not at ease performing it. However, her decision wasn't well received. The male lead, offended by her refusal, responded strongly—suggesting that the production should simply replace her with another actress.
Reflecting on the moment, Tamannaah shared that being young in the industry often opens the door to manipulation. She noticed that some individuals go out of their way to undermine a newcomer's confidence by insinuating that their opinions don't matter. In her case, she experienced several instances where people attempted to embarrass her or question her professionalism simply because of her age. However, she refused to let these experiences shake her resolve.
"I think people try to shake your confidence because you are young and show that you don't know it. You don't understand because you are not that age. So that happened many times. People try to humiliate you. I was once doing a film with a very big South star. And in some scenes, I had to say that I cannot do this. I am not comfortable with this. There was something in that scene with which I was not comfortable. I said that I am not comfortable doing this scene. Then the star said, 'Change the heroine'," she recalled. Despite the tension on set, the actor involved later approached Tamannaah to apologise. The next day, he admitted his behavior had been driven by anger and offered a sincere apology. This act of contrition, though unexpected, helped mend the situation to some extent. But the experience left her with a lasting lesson about power dynamics in the film world.Tamannaah also took the opportunity to clear the air regarding earlier rumours linking her romantically with Indian cricketer Virat Kohli. The speculation had emerged after the two appeared together in a commercial. Putting the record straight, she clarified that their interaction was strictly professional and lasted just a single day. She never spoke to or met him again following that shoot.On the professional front, Tamannaah has several major projects lined up. She will be seen in four Hindi films—Romeo (a Vishal Bhardwaj directorial co-starring Shahid Kapoor and Tripti Dimri), Ranger, IPS Maria, and Vvan: Force of the Forrest.