Kriti, the lucky ‘1’

Even if it’s a grim scene, Mahesh is not the one who isolates himself and prepares for it intensely. He switches over to the character only when the director calls it action - Kriti Sanon

Not many actresses get the opportunity to romance Superstar Mahesh Babu in their debut movie, but Kriti Sanon, the heroine of his new flick ‘1: Nenokkadine’, admits that she is a ‘lucky one’ and has hit the ‘jackpot’ despite not having any theatre or acting background. “I wouldn’t have wished for anything else. There are hundreds of aspirants who would have latched on to the opportunity to share screen space with Mahesh without heeding to the film’s story. Besides the Mahesh factor, I’ve got a full-fledged role where I get to do the talking and accompany him throughout the film,” smiles Kriti in a chat-a-thon. “On top of it, who would get a chance to work under a technician of Sukumar’s caliber and a banner of 14 Reels repute?,” she asks.

Remembering how the role came her way, the model-turned-actress says, “I got a call from Hyderabad one fine day saying that I need to visit the city next day as 14 Reels Entertainment was looking for a fresh face alongside Mahesh. Director Sukumar garu auditioned me. It went on fairly well. It was followed by a photo shoot with latest cameras. Guess the makers found me as the perfect bill.”

Kriti has essayed the role of a TV journalist Sameera in the film. She had to tune into national TV for a considerable time preparing for her role. “I observed the body language of eminent electronic media journalists. One of the film’s assistant director’s better half, who was a journalist, helped me a lot. I never knew how to handle the camera before I started shooting for the film,” she shares.

The lanky lass also got an opportunity to indulge in parasailing for the film. “I was initially nervous but had a fun time. It was for the first time that I was exposed to parasailing. Once I took off, I was up in the air feeling the gentle wind. However, since the shot was long, my body felt the pain because the harness was on. Add to that, the sun was on top of my head and I felt my legs were going numb. I couldn’t locate or hear anyone, so I shouted at the crew. Action choreographer Peter Heins immediately brought me down,” her million-dollar smiles bursts forth as tell us that a “walkie-talkie would have done the trick”. “Sukumar garu was on a ship giving the commands. I had no idea when he was saying ‘action’ and ‘cut’. I was literally like a dead body and for a moment, he too panicked.”

Receiving praise for her convincing portrayal of Sameera, the newbie is currently in a ‘happy space’. “My parents are over the moon. My mother and sister watched the film in Delhi whereas my dad caught it at Mumbai. Though they didn’t identify with the language, they loved the film. I had to explain my sister how the film unfolded at places but nevertheless they were thrilled with the way I pulled off the role,” she smiles merrily.

The actress, who dropped by the sets on the first day behind schedule, says Mahesh, is a ‘chilled out’ personality. “Only when he is discussing the scene with the director he seems to be serious, otherwise he has a jovial chat with everyone on the sets. Even if it’s a grim scene, he is not the one who isolates himself and prepares for it intensely. He switches over to the character only when the director calls it action. He is a spontaneous actor.”

While she is tight-lipped about her next Telugu projects, she has almost completed shooting for Hindi flick ‘Heropanti’ opposite Tiger Shroff, son of Jackie Shroff. “I play a conservative girl in the flick. The shooting is over barring few scenes and songs,” she signs off on a parting note.