Priyamani says she is 'conscious, cautious' about her choices in Hindi cinema: I take time in deciding what I want to do

Actor Priyamani says Jawan and The Family Man have made her popular in Hindi cinema with better opportunities coming her way. The actor, who is fluent in different languages, is already an established star in the south and won the National Film Award for her role in Paruthiveeran. (Also Read | Priyamani says Shah Rukh Khan might have haters but those ‘who love him are way more’)

“I feel honoured that makers not only from your industry but from other industries are willing to have you on board because they believe in your talent. It feels great that talent is being recognised everywhere and people (actors) are getting more opportunities. It’s good that we are being recognised on a national level,” the actor told PTI in an interview.

Priyamani’s stint in Hindi cinema began with a cameo in Mani Ratnam's bilingual movie, Raavan, followed by a dance number in Shah Rukh Khan’s Chennai Express. But it was her OTT debut show, The Family Man, fronted by Manoj Bajpayee, that led to her becoming famous with Hindi audiences.

“I'm happy that people are liking my work. I'm a little more known because of Jawan here in Mumbai. Earlier, they (people) had to take a second look at me to think if I was the same girl from The Family Man. But now the popularity is growing more, so every time wherever I walk, people are like, ‘Oh it’s you’,” she said.

The Chaarulatha actor said she is “conscious and cautious” about her choices in Hindi cinema. Next on her slate is Article 370 and Maidaan besides the third season of Prime Video series The Family Man. “I’m very conscious and cautious of what I do. When it comes to Hindi, and in other languages also, I take my time in deciding what I want to do,” she said.

Article 370, fronted by Yami Gautam, is a political drama that deals with the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir. Aditya Suhas Jambhale directs the film. Priyamani plays the role of an officer in PMO named Rajeshjwari Swaminathan. She described her character as a strong-willed woman.

The Central government on August 5, 2019, had revoked Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated it into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Priyamani said she learnt many things about how Article 370 came into force while working on the movie. “Through the process of story narration, and when we started shooting for the film, I realized that there is much more to this... It is not meant for a certain age group, anybody and everybody can watch it."

Article 370, backed by Yami’s filmmaker husband, Aditya Dhar and Jio Studios, will be released in theatres on February 23.

Priyamani is also looking forward to the release of Maidaan on April 10. The sports drama is directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma of Badhaai Ho fame and is headlined by Ajay Devgn.

The actor said producer Boney Kapoor approached her for the movie through her husband, Mustafa Raj, an entrepreneur. “Boney sir asked my husband, ‘Priya karegi kya (Will Priya do) (Maidaan)?’ My husband said, ‘She will do it’. Then I met Amit Sharma, we did a look test for the character, and I was on board. Within a month of the photo shoot, we started shooting. My portions were done much before the Covid-19,” she said.

Priyamani said the team will soon begin filming for the third season of The Family Man.

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