Post COVID, regional films, actors getting more attention, says Shreya Gupto

CHENNAI: It’s almost noon and Chennai heat hasn’t deterred actor Shreya Gupto. She has just finished her day’s work out. Without an iota of exhaustion, Shreya is all set to talk to us about her latest claim to fame, Sikandar, in which she plays a medical intern and has been receiving acclaim for the same. “Sikandar didn’t come to me. I started chasing the film from the moment I saw the launch picture that had Sajid Nadiadwala, Murugadoss and Salman Khan. I had previously worked with AR Murugadoss sir in Darbar. All I wanted was to be a part of a Bollywood film as it has been a while. I then gave my audition with an open mind because I wasn’t skeptical about what would be my screen space. I auditioned among hundreds of girls and grabbed the opportunity,” she tells us.

Shreya reminisces her shooting days for Sikandar where her portions were set in Dharavi, Mumbai and says, “I haven’t been on sets with such magnitude that was created by some of the bests in the Indian film industry. To be alongside Salman Khan and to work with Murugadoss sir, speaking in Tamil on the sets, all these are beyond explanation and if I had to sum it up, I should say I am grateful,” says the actor.

Shreya’s choice of films and shows have been quite unique. She took a plunge into OTT platforms even before lockdown and emerged successful from it. Despite being a Tamil-speaking girl, we ask her about her number game, which could have easily been more than what it is actually now. “To be honest, I used to wonder seeing a lot of Mumbai girls being part of a Tamil film. There are several girls in Chennai, who know the language well but have not been utilised in this industry. However, post COVID era the respect for regional actors as well as the films have surged. Kantara is a good example. The casting process in Chennai too wasn’t streamlined well. I grabbed Vaaranam Aayiram because Gautham Menon sir’s mother worked in the school I studied. Once, I was seen in Vaaranam Aayiram, and because of it in Pallikoodam. There was a time where I shifted to Mumbai for this. They had strict audition processes there. Now, Chennai is upping its game in terms of audition,” she explains.

Shreya’s fitness has complemented her performances well and her social media has inspired fitness enthusiasts well. “Fitness is not only for people who belong in the industry. It is essential for anyone. Especially after COVID, people are more aware of keeping themselves fit. For me, it is a way of life. I start my day with gym and it is non-negotiable for me not because I need to look a certain way on screen. I am not an insecure actor or insecure with my looks. I am sure the makeup artistes too would take care of how I look. My job is to justify the roles I have taken up,” the actor signs off.