Nidhhi Agerwal: I wanted to be a heroine all my life
Hari Hara Veera Mallu follows a nonconformist character (Pawan) who steals the Koh-i-Noor diamond from the Mughals. The film, which is set to release in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, and Malayalam, is definitely different from the kind of films Nidhhi has starred in her career. Acknowledging that variety is needed to bring out the versatility of an actor, she says, 'A director once told me that in every film, my acting is different because I do not have a personal style yet. I usually just follow the director's instructions. I do not add my own touch to the role unless I need to. I feel like I do not have a pattern yet, or maybe I do.' However, she shares that having a particular style of acting is a double-edged sword. "We run the risk of losing uniqueness while playing different characters, right?"
In what can be construed as Nidhhi making up for all the lost time, she is not just part of the pan-Indian Pawan Kalyan film, but also plays a pivotal role in Prabhas' much-delayed, and yet much-awaited horror comedy, The Raja Saab. In fact, she had to juggle between both these sets. It posed two challenges for her: losing out on regular sleep and sleeping in transit as a result, and maintaining character continuity. However, the actor shares that the fact that both films are of two extreme genres helped her be in character. 'Every set has a completely different vibe. As soon as you enter the Hari Hara Veera Mallu sets or The Raja Saab sets, I am like, 'Ok, I am in this world.' Your surroundings, and the actual set makes a huge difference. With Hari Hara Veera Mallu, it was set in a palace, and there was no blue screen filming involved.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Thammudu' OTT release: When and where to watch Nithiin's action drama; read more
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) After its theatrical release on July 4, 2025, 'Thammudu' is all set for its digital debut. The Nithiin-starrer, which struggled at the box office amid mixed-to-negative reviews, will begin streaming on Netflix from August 1. The platform confirmed the release date through an official post that read, 'Thana lakshyanni, akkani thirigi thevadaniki ee thammudu is on a mission!' The film will be available in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada, opening it up to a broader South Indian audience. A story of siblings, survival, and skill 'Thammudu' follows Jai, played by Nithiin , a gifted archer separated from his sister Jhansi in childhood. Years later, Jhansi, now a principled government officer, refuses to sign a falsified report about a chemical factory explosion in Vizag. Her moral stand turns her into a target of powerful and corrupt forces. As her world begins to crumble, Jai reenters her life. The hero is determined to protect her and her family using not just courage, but also the precision of his bow. Even with an intriguing plot, the movie had received mostly mixed reviews from the audiences. Thammudu - Official Trailer A packed cast and a new turn for familiar faces Directed and written by Venu Sriram, 'Thammudu' marks his first collaboration with Nithiin. The film also brings actress Laya back to Telugu screens, years after her brief appearance in Amar Akbar Anthony. The supporting cast includes Sapthami Gowda, Varsha Bollamma, Saurabh Sachdeva, Swasika, and Hari Teja, among others. B. Ajaneesh Loknath's music received decent responses from the viewers. ETimes gave the movie a rating of only 2 stars out of 5 and an excerpt from our official review read, "On the technical front, the film is visually appealing, with cinematographer KV Guhan capturing the tribal locales with flair. Ajaneesh Loknath's background score is atmospheric but rarely elevates the emotional beats. The action choreography is stylised, though several sequences stretch believability, further distancing the viewer from the story's emotional core. Thammudu had all the ingredients for a stirring emotional-action drama, but in trying too hard to be everything, it ends up being less than the sum of its parts. A film that had the potential to hit the bullseye sadly misses the mark."
Indian Express
38 minutes ago
- Indian Express
When Dhanush revealed Aanand L Rai put in his own money to hire him for Raanjhanaa: ‘They didn't have the right kind of budget for me'
Dhanush, a force to reckon with in the Tamil film industry, made a memorable Bollywood debut with Aanand L Rai's 2013 romantic drama Raanjhanaa. He played Kundan, a Varanasi boy who goes from being an unrequited lover to a key political voice in New Delhi. The actor revealed last month on the film's 12th anniversary that he almost didn't do the film because of budgetary constraints. 'At that time, they didn't have the right kind of budget for hiring me as the lead actor. But this man's (Aanand L Rai) passion was so strong that he just wanted me to play Kundan. He could have offered any actor this part and they would have happily come on board. After all, it's such a great part,' said Dhanush at a special fan screening of Raanjhanaa. 'But he went against all odds. I don't know I am supposed to say this and I don't care! He invested his own money as well. He went all out (to cast me). He saw Kundan in me and he stayed true to his vision,' added Dhanush. The actor confessed that he didn't feel as nervous on his debut Tamil film as he did on his first Hindi film, for the same reason. 'I was not scared during my first film. When I was written off, I was not scared. That's how I am. But for the first time, I was scared. I felt responsible. So, I was praying so hard to God that 'Somehow save this man,'' said Dhanush, adding, 'They made a cult classic. It is not the story of Kundan and Zoya. It is the story of two mad men who believed in this.' Also Read: Eros denies Aanand L Rai's stand on re-release of Raanjhanaa, says using AI to present 'a respectful creative reinterpretation' of original Raanjhanaa also stars Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol, Swara Bhaskar, and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub. Last year, in an interview with Bollywood Hungama, Aanand L Rai also revealed he initially planned to cast Ranbir Kapoor for Kundan's role. 'An actor who keeps himself simple and lets himself blend into the crowd, which is a difficult thing, I believe Ranbir Kapoor is like this, but he was not available at that time and as we were searching for such an actor, we found Dhanush,' said Rai, who went on to collaborate with Dhanush in the 2021 film Atrangi Re and the upcoming movie Tere Ishq Mein, which is from 'the same world as Raanjhanaa.'
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' box office collections day 3: Pedro Pascal's film gains momentum over weekend; mints Rs 19.60 crores in India
'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' opening weekend saw impressive numbers. The movie starring (other actor's names), earned around Rs 7 crore net on its third day (Sunday) across India. As reported by the Sacnilk website, the total three-day India net collection stands at ₹19.60 crore. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now After a decent Friday opening of ₹5.5 crore and a noticeable 29% jump on Saturday to ₹7.1 crore, the superhero saga maintained its pace on Sunday. English 3D leads the way in key cities The English IMAX 3D version continued to drive the film's box office momentum. The occupancy rates peaked in the evening at 59.12%. Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune witnessed evening occupancy rates hovering around 66-68%. Morning shows were relatively tepid at 32.90%, but picked up steadily through the day. The English 3D occupancy across India was recorded at an average of 47.75%. Hindi versions show modest growth The Hindi versions, both 3D and 2D, showed mixed results. While Hindi 3D reached an overall occupancy of 33.95% on Sunday, the 2D version remained subdued with a 21.67% average. Afternoon and evening shows saw the best turnout in both formats. The 3D version reached over 50% occupancy in the evening. Regional versions in Tamil and Telugu contributed modestly to the weekend total. Starring Pedro Pascal, , , Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Julia Garner, 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' appears to have connected with urban sci-fi fans. With reviews praising the ensemble cast and visual spectacle, the film is now eyeing weekday sustainability. Though its regional draw is limited, the English-speaking audience has turned up in strong numbers—especially for IMAX 3D viewings—laying a decent foundation for the film's Indian run. Let's wait and watch whether the Marvel film will surpass DC's 'Superman' in the coming days in terms of box office collections. The Fantastic Four: First Steps - Official Tamil Trailer
