Shreya Guptorecently seen at Salman Khan Starer.”Sikandal‘, opened up about her journey from the vibrant Tamil movie sets to the bustling world of Bollywood. With her unique perspective as an outsider, she reflects on the navigation of nepotism, her humble experiences with industry legends, and the resilience challenges it takes to break through. From facing unpleasant reality on set to witnessing the true humility of stars like Rajnikant and Salman Khan, Shreya’s journey is just as exciting as it is eye-opening. excerpt…
Having worked in both Tamil and Hindi industries, how do you compare the occupational culture, audience expectations and treatment of actors in these two industries?
Working on a large set gave me a deep appreciation for the filmmaking. For example, while working on Gautham Vasudev Menon and “Vaaranam Aayiram”, I observed his unique style, and Suriya had his own approach to working. Each set has its own working culture and methods, which I think is really great. Being part of such a set is a great learning experience for me, from the observations of production designers to directors and actors. It’s exciting to see these epic movies and grow up and become part of such a setup now. I’ve always been fascinated by cinemas. I want to be a fly on the wall in a commercial film setup. It was a great experience. Working with Rajinikanth Sir, I have witnessed the humility and credibility that audiences see on social media. The persona he has is true to what we see on screen. He is as humble as everyone envisions him. Meanwhile, Salman Khan’s generosity is known through his human campaign, but it was clear when he had his kids shopping on set.You have built your career without industry support. How do you view the discussions about nepotism in Bollywood and South Cinema?
Nepotism exists in all industries. That’s a cliché answer, but it’s true. Give us hope, even an outsider like me, and an actor like Vicky Kaushal who hadn’t had an easy start. Shah Rukh Khan himself was an outsider. Hms are tough, and sometimes audition tapes don’t even reach the makers for politics and lobbying. But isn’t that true in all areas? At South Cinema, I was lucky enough to be able to participate in seven or eight films as a child’s artist. I didn’t know much about it at the time, but I just enjoyed the experience. My mother assured me that I would finish my education, so I filmed most of my films during the summer holidays. When I wanted to be part of Bollywood, Sikanda was my first step and I am very grateful for the opportunity.
Many actresses talk about inappropriate experiences in the industry. Have you ever faced or witnessed it? Casting sofa Incident? How did you deal with them?
I wouldn’t lie – I was a little away from the industry as I faced such an incident in Chennai. That’s one of the reasons I moved to Mumbai. When I came across such a situation, without the support of the industry, my natural response was to ignore the situation and leave. I called a famous director to audition and after I finished after graduation, I went there with my mother. He spoke inappropriately and hinted at the casting couch. I responded by saying, “I’ll prepare the scene and come back tomorrow,” but didn’t come back. It existed and I faced it a few years ago. Thankfully, I haven’t experienced anything like that recently and I’m pleased with it.
