I don’t want to compromise on my principles

I’m taking every step to ensure that I don’t repeat the characters that I essayed earlier. I’m even discussing with my directors to give my role a new dimension

- Sri Divya

While she is yet to find a strong foothold in Telugu industry, her home turf, actress Sri Divya is making rapid strides in the Tamil film industry.

The Hyderabadi girl, besides bagging the Tamil remake of ‘Bangalore Days’ for which she is currently shooting, has signed Karthi’s next and is also in talks to star alongside Jeeva. The actress, in a conversation with Hans Talkies, says she is getting more offers from Tamil filmmakers. “I’m being offered roles that have substance,” states the actress.

Does that mean she is not getting good roles from Tollywood? “After ‘Bus Stop’, I did get the chance to essay the second heroine in a few commercial flicks but I never felt the need to do such roles despite the fact that my running time was on par with that of the first heroine. Look back now, I don’t regret my decisions,” she maintains, adding that she is happy with the girl-next-door tag that she has earned.

“I’m not essaying the same role every time. The thing with me is I’m offered soft roles because I look innocent at the outset,” she smiles.She continues, “As a matter of fact I’m taking every step to ensure that I don’t repeat the characters that I portrayed. I’m even discussing with my directors to give my role a new dimension.”

The actress is in no mood to shed her girl-next-door image. “I recently got an offer to star alongside a big Tamil star but a song demanded me to be alluring. I expressed my apprehensions to the director and he said that he can’t compromise on it. I had no option but to turn down the film. Nonetheless, I’m doing another film with the same actor now,” she confides, citing an example. “I have certain principles and I don’t want to compromise.”

She is presently awaiting the release of ‘Vaaradhi’, which she terms as a “comedy drama laced with romance”. She is playing Aaradhana in the film, a character which required her to be subtle. “Every guy dreams of a girl like her; she is that typical girl who believes in commitment.”The Friday release, she says, has no similarities with her earlier Telugu project ‘Mallelatheeramlo’.

“‘Vaaradhi’ is in complete contrast to ‘Mallelatheeramlo’. While the latter is a romantic drama told in a poetic way, the former has all the trappings of a commercial entertainer. Kranthi’s (her co-star in the film) role is in stark contrast to what he played in ‘Mallelatheeramlo’,” signs off the actress, who has almost finished shooting for Dil Raju’s ‘Kerintha’.