Meenakshi Chaudhary: I will soon shed the housewife material kind of roles

Meenakshi Chaudhary seems to be on Cloud 9 ever since the success of her latest flick ‘Lucky Baskhar’ opposite Dulquer Salmaan. After working with popular heroes like Mahesh Babu, Ravi Teja, Adivi Shesh, she is now working with the younger actors. To begin with, she plays Varun Tej’s wife in ‘Matka’. Directed by Karuna Kumar, it is a pan-Indian film releasing in Hindi on Nov. 14, 2024.

Meenakshi says she will soon shed wife material image as the audience will see her in a cop avatar in her next.

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Congratulations on the recent success of LB, in which she essayed the role of a mother. How do you feel about it?

“I am very grateful for getting work in both the Telugu and Tamil film industry, despite being an outsider. One would not get to work with the best and top stars every day but I had been given the opportunity in both Telugu and Tamil industry. I feel lucky and blessed for the opportunities bestowed upon me. Through pan-India film ‘Matka’, I will make my debut in Hindi.”

Crowned as Femina Miss India Grand International in 2018, does it give you easy access onto the big screen?

Beauty pageants are held every year but how many of the winners get to be in the entertainment industry. These contests make a way for somebody who is not related to the industry. For me, indeed this was a very new world as I belong to dentistry.

Was it easy to shift to the glitz and glamour world?

I never got into this field with that glittery intentions feel. I was interested in science as I liked the subject. It’s been a journey. I feel it is destiny that landed me here.

How were you cast for the role of Sujata in ‘Matka’?

Director Karuna Kumar was auditioning for his second film and I met him for that movie but we couldn’t work together. Cut to now, he was finalizing the cast for ‘Matka’. He narrated the role of Sujata to me and I accepted it immediately, because I want to do good roles. I think it just fell in my lap and I am more than happy.

Do you think you are the perfect reel wife material as until now you have done such roles and girl next door kind roles?

Yes, when I opted for the role of mother in ‘Lucky Baskhar’, people were feeling it’s too early for me to play a mother’s role but it got rave reviews. Everyone appreciated my character. I chose to play the role because it had a lot of potential.

When will we see you doing different roles other than this wife material kind of characters?

Very soon you’ll see me shedding this wife avatar. Having done mostly housewife material kind of roles, my next film will see me in a totally different avatar. I will be seen playing a cop in my next film, but it’s not a female-oriented film. I am doing an action movie for the first time. It's a hand-to-hand combat but not based much on VFX. It was fun playing the cop’s role. I only hope the audience love watching me in this different avatar too.

Tollywood industry is strongly male-driven, girls don’t get a chance to carry the film on their shoulders. What is your take about this perception?

I don’t look at it in such a perspective nor get into such calculations. I’m only interested in doing my part and giving it my 100%. Whatever character is given to me, I will give my best. Having established myself once, then will be the time to think about it.

As you said earlier, some female actors turned producers because they have been here for some time now. I think whoever can bring the audiences to the theatre and bring more revenue, rightfully deserve to take the film on their shoulders. I firmly believe you should be good at what you do. Also, I look at this in a totally different manner. A female cannot perform the role of a male and vice -versa. Also, the entertainment industry is evolving. As actors we need to do justice to our part, no part is insignificant.

As an actor, not emerging from the industry, what have you learned about the trade-entertainment business?

I am keen on doing what I am doing right now. Eventually, I will learn the business. Now my focus is on what I am doing. Until I feel confident here, I would not have a choice to venture into production. It will take a long time for me to have the transition. Every day is an opportunity to learn something new. Every project is a learning curve and it takes time to evolve. I am more than happy right now.