Shriya Saran ditched family event for SS Rajamouli’s RRR: ‘Leave wedding, run to Hyderabad’ | Telugu News

Recalling how she landed her first film, Shriya shared that she had met director S Shankar earlier, when he was writing a film, and expressed her desire to work with him. A few months later, the director called her to the film’s muhurat ceremony. When she saw Rajinikanth walk in, she realised that she was going to be part of a big film. Shankar then introduced her to the superstar, saying, ‘Meet your co-star, Rajinikanth.’

Rajinikanth told Shriya Saran to stay grounded through success and failure

Speaking about working with the legendary actor, Shriya said, “Rajini sir is really well-read, very well-informed, he’s a very smart man and very grounded. He’s had the same friends all his life. And no matter how many hits he’s had as a superstar, he still goes to the Himalayas, has his own meditation time. He’s really in touch with his roots and very respectful to everyone. So if I come to the film set or my mom comes, he’ll stand up and give them a chair. He’s super nice and respectful to the spot boy too. So all these are things I learned from him. So yeah, that’s the reason people love him.”

Shriya also recalled the valuable career advice Rajinikanth gave her, which helped her understand how to deal with the unpredictable nature of the film industry. “I remember him telling me, ‘Your film will be a hit, then an even bigger hit, then another hit, and then a flop. And when your film flops, the same people who treated you well when you were successful will be the ones who bring you back. So, you have to stay very level-headed. Getting up after falling matters way more.’ I think that was extremely valuable advice that really helped me,” said Shriya.

Watch the full conversation with Shriya Saran here:

Shriya Saran left a family wedding to shoot for SS Rajamouli’s RRR

Shriya also spoke about working with filmmaker SS Rajamouli on RRR. The actor appeared in a cameo alongside Ajay Devgn, playing his wife in the flashback portions of the film. Shriya said that working with Rajamouli was an opportunity she would not want to miss. Recalling how she came on board, she shared that she was attending her cousin’s wedding celebrations in Jaipur when she received a call asking her to audition for the role.

Also Read: Shriya Saran says playing Nandini last time in Drishyam 3 took its toll: ‘A heavy feeling’

“I was at my cousin’s wedding and at that time I got a call asking if I could come the next day. So literally, I left the wedding procession, and ran to Hyderabad. My flight was at 5 AM. I didn’t sleep all night. They said, ‘No, no, just come. Tomorrow we’ll just do the reading, and start shooting the day after.’ So when I arrived, they said, ‘We’re reading the script and we just want to see the look.’ And when I came, they said, ‘okay fine, now let’s come and shoot’ (laughs) but it is always fun working with him.”

RRR was Shriya’s second film with Rajamouli, after Chatrapathi (2005), which starred Prabhas. Apart from the experience of working with the filmmaker, she also remembers the warm atmosphere on his sets, where the cast and crew sit together for lunch.

“One thing I’ll always remember working on his film is that everyone always has lunch together. Everyone is out and they all sit together to have lunch. And Rama Ma’am, his wife, brings homemade food from home. The cameraman and everyone else, we all sit together, discussing which scenes we’re doing, talking about movies and movies that inspire other people. It’s just so much fun to do that with him.”

Shriya also recalled a piece of advice that Jr NTR gave her while she was working with Rajamouli. The actor said, “Taraka (Jr NTR) said, ‘If Rajamouli sir wants this shot, you give him that shot as soon as possible.’ So he’s very clear about what he wants, and honestly, I think that’s fantastic. He’s really gifted.

Chiranjeevi advised Shriya Saran to develop her own style

Shriya also shared a lesson she learnt while working with Chiranjeevi in Tagore (2003). She recalled that a choreographer was insistent that she dance in the actor’s style. However, Chiranjeevi advised her against imitating anyone else and encouraged her to develop a style of her own.

Shriya Saran on Awarapan 2

Shriya also opened up about her Hindi film, Awarapan 2, starring Emraan Hashmi and Disha Patani, in which she appears in a cameo. Speaking about the response to the film and the expectations surrounding the franchise, the actor admitted that the first installment not performing as expected at the box office affected her. She was, however, happy that the sequel found success.

“There was some feeling that Part One would do really well, but it didn’t quite hit the mark. People said they liked it a lot, but the numbers didn’t reflect that. So, it’s hard to believe but I’m really happy that it (Awarapan 2) turned out well. I’m really happy from the bottom of my heart,” said the actor.

Shriya also reflected on how difficult it can be to deal with disappointment, especially when a film does not perform as expected despite receiving appreciation from audiences. “But people say, you know, that whatever is meant to happen will happen. Sometimes it gets delayed, but delays can cause a lot of harm too. A lot of people lose hope, and it’s really tough for many to accept and come to terms with it. It was a hard time for us,” reflected Shriya.