Actor Mrunal Thakur had established herself in the Hindi film industry before taking a bold step into Telugu cinema with “Sita Ramam.” Being non-Telugu speaking, the prospect of working in a Telugu film was daunting for her. Thakur revealed that there were moments when she contemplated quitting Telugu cinema.
During an interview with Galatta Plus, the actor delved into her initial reservations about joining Tollywood and discussed her approach to working in Telugu films.
“I didn’t want to find myself in a situation where I felt handicapped because not knowing the language can make you feel restless. I’m not joking when I say there were moments I felt like giving up. I’ve shed tears, but every tear shed has resulted in praise for me,” Mrunal expressed.
The actor, who portrayed the character of a princess in “Sita Ramam,” further remarked, “Initially, I believed that what mattered most was the storyline, and managing the language was feasible. However, not knowing the language does make it challenging. Since childhood, I’ve dreamt of being a princess. So, this role was the perfect opportunity, and my preparation for it began in my childhood.”
Following her role in “Sita Ramam,” Mrunal appeared in “Hi Nanna” alongside Telugu star Nani, and later signed on for “Family Star,” directed by Parasuram and co-starring Vijay Deverakonda.
As Mrunal’s mother tongue is Hindi and Marathi, her approach to delivering dialogue involved incorporating all three languages she is proficient in.
She elaborated, “It’s essentially a three-language translation process. Sometimes, there isn’t enough time for that, especially when a scene is suddenly written, and the lights are fading, with no location available for tomorrow’s shoot. Initially, I would write the dialogue in Telugu, then translate it into English, as it was the only common language with my assistant directors. Finally, I would translate it into Hindi or Marathi, my mother tongues.”
The actor also disclosed that she hadn’t intended to pursue more Telugu films after “Sita Ramam,” but her co-star Dulquer Salmaan had a different perspective.
Mrunal expressed admiration for her co-star, stating, “Dulquer is truly remarkable. I have no hesitation in saying that I am the president of the Dulquer Salmaan fan club because that’s how much I admire him. He is incredibly dedicated and unafraid of language barriers. I remember telling him in Kashmir, ‘Sita Ramam will be my first and last Telugu film. I won’t do any more Telugu films.’ He simply looked at me and said, ‘We’ll see.’ I believe one of the reasons I’m now considering Tamil or Kannada films is probably because of him.”
“Family Star” is scheduled for release in theaters on April 5th. This marks Vijay’s first release of the year. His last appearance on the big screen was in the 2023 film “Kushi” alongside Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
