Aditi Rao Hydari will be seen in 'Maha Samuram', which will be released in theatres on October 14. In this interview, the actress talks about working with director Ajay Bhupathi, actors Sharwanand and Siddharth, her future projects, and more.
The story of the movie is set in Vizag. Maha is the name of my character in the film. She is bubbly, honest, hardworking and very transparent in her ways. She speaks her mind and doesn't hide anything. She is lovely. There is growth in the character that evolves with the new circumstances.
I saw 'RX 100' before Ajay Bhupathi narrated 'Maha Samudram'. His understanding of cinema, his command over drama and music are great. He is a director who celebrates his protagonists, songs, and at the same time, his story-telling is quite strong. Jagapathi Babu and Rao Ramesh are such amazing actors.
Ajay was very particular about casting only me in the role. He would insist every often to say that he would cast only me for Maha on any day. He is such a nice human being and is like a 5-year-old. He wants everybody to be happy and wants his characters to be loved.
I can't tell you whether this film is a love triangle. You are going to find it out on October 14. We have released two trailers so far. And nobody has been able to make out what the storyline could be.
'Immeasurable love' is the caption and it is such an apt one for the story. Love is not limited to two romantic partners. We love our parents, siblings, children. 'Maha Samudram' is about 'maha' love.
Each character is very special and has been written with a lot of detailing. So, playing Maha was not easy. The director was particular about how Maha would talk, smile, cry. I had to make Maha come to life and put my own magic into it to make it a really memorable character. The audience should go with me in their heart.
The film is also about friendship. I respect the work of Siddharth and Sharwanand a lot. Siddhu knows so much about filmmaking. He knows everything from acting to editing and other crafts. He does his homework. He has such a great command over the language as well. Sharwa is a subtle and silent actor. They don't behave like stars on set. They work happily together.
Ajay as the captain of the ship brought the right technical team to the table. He picked the right talent as someone who understands cinema thoroughly. He is not only a student of RGV but is also a fan of Mani Ratnam sir. Chaitan Bharadwaj's music is superb. His melodies are so beautiful. When 'RX 100' was out, I hadn't heard about him. I played the songs on loop.
I like to be challenged. I learned a great deal from my guru, Mani Ratnam sir. When you are curious like a child, you will learn something new every day. I am a student, an actor. I don't consider myself a star. I want to learn, I want to keep growing every day.
I wanted to dub for my character in 'Maha Samudram'. The director too was ready to have me dub. At the end of the day, a voice has to suit the script. No matter how much time I take, it was going to take time. Due to time constraints at the time of the pandemic, the director got someone else to dub.
I have worked with all my directors more than once. So, I am sure that I am going to work with Ajay for the second time.
I am a trained dancer and I enjoy music a lot. I would like to do the biopic of MS Subbalakshmi if I get a chance. I would also like to play an actress in a film. I would love to play Rekha ma'am. She is really amazing.
'Ponniyin Selvan' has got a huge cast. Mani Ratnam sir is like my parent. If given a chance, I would like to be a part of every film of his. If he doesn't deem it fit to cast me, he won't cast me. That's it!
