Carving a niche for herself in a mere four years, Digangana Suryavanshi has proved that she has both talent and tenacity. After having signed a breezy entertainer starring Sundeep Kishan recently, she has now also got on board a film to be directed by Phani Krishna. She will be paired with Aadi Saikumar.
And the actress is thrilled to sign back-to-back films in Telugu.
“The film industry was the first to shut down when the pandemic struck and it was the last to reopen. So it’s heartening to see people returning to theatres in large numbers. We have been waiting for this for a long time,” Digangana says, adding that she’s grateful for the opportunities she got during the pandemic. In Sundeep’s film, for which she has commenced shooting, the actress will be seen as an investigative officer. And in Aadi’s film, she plays an urban-centric character.
“I am always seeking good roles. An actor is only as good as his/her role, script, and the director. It’s definitely important for me to execute my parts perfectly. Also, taking the opportunity to play different roles results in being able to explore more,” she says. As a bonus, the varied roles motivate her to keep pushing, and avoid monotony. The actress says she has nothing whatsoever to complain about with regard to her four years in the industry so far — on the contrary, she has learned a lot.
“Every film gets me a notch higher and makes me a better actor. More relatability in scripts and characters takes one closer to the audience. The idea is that those who watch my films will recognise my work and, hopefully, look forward to watching more of my films,” she says.
Digangana admits that Fridays change the fortunes of many people in the industry. “When I came to Hyderabad in 2018, I was totally new and didn’t know anyone in the field either. I was trying to understand how the industry operates. So my I put my trust in my team and support staff, and they have done a great job in making me what I am today,” she says.
Sharing that she picked up the language while doing Telugu films, the actress says, “For Hindi, I don’t have to memorise my lines, but in the South, I realised that learning the language is important. I make sure that I get my lines right.” Knowing the language helps in getting the emotions right,” she notes.
Having spent considerable time in television, Digangana says TV holds a special place in her life and that her stint on the small screen is something she will always be grateful for. She was 16 when she did her first television show. But it was her 2015 stint in Bigg Boss that enabled her to grab the headlines.
“Bigg Boss was definitely a game-changer but after that, I did a few soap operas and gained great experience. I then decided to take a break from television and try my hand at films. I studied acting when I was seven, so I just wanted to give it a try and find out how different platforms operate,” shares the actress.
She debuted on the silver screen with FryDay. Since then, the Hippi actress hasn’t looked back. She is part of upcoming war-drama, The Battle of Bhima Koregaon, starring Arjun Rampal, for which she has already completed 25 percent of the shooting.
Digangana has been frequently visiting Hyderabad for Telugu film shoots, and finds the city an exciting place. “I have tried all the South Indian cuisines and I have been to historical places like Charminar. I love traveling and like going on road trips,” shares the actress who recently completed her BA degree course.
