EXCLUSIVE: Jyotika recalls meeting Srikanth Bolla on set; 'My perception of a visually challenged person changed'
Jyotika reflects on her meeting with Srikanth Bolla during the filming of Rajkummar Rao's Srikanth. She shares how her perception of visually challenged individuals shifted after getting to know him!
Jyotika, a remarkable actress, marked her entry into the film industry with the Hindi film Doli Saja Ke Rakhna. Since then, she has appeared in numerous Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films. After a hiatus from Bollywood, she made a return with Shaitaan, alongside Ajay Devgn and R. Madhavan, which proved to be a box office success.
Her upcoming project is Srikanth, a biographical film based on the life of Srikanth Bolla, with Rajkummar Rao portraying the titular character. In an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla, Jyotika shared what moved her about Srikanth's story.
Jyotika describes Srikanth Bolla as highly talented
In an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla, Jyotika was asked what moved her about Srikanth Bolla's story. To this, she shared, "Of course, his achievement, and what really fascinated me the most was...when I met him on set, he was there, and I felt he was just so normal. My whole perception of a visually challenged person and the way I would look at a visually challenged person just completely changed. I thought he was more talented than any of us. He was more deserving; he was fun-loving and positive. There was nothing about him which was different from us. That is really something that shook me up."
She added, "We shot in the Bollant industries and it was amazing to see that he had given work to the visually challenged, and the whole industry was being run by visually challenged people. It was machinery, it was hardcore metal. They just make everything seem so easy and possible."
Continuing, she said, "His journey, his achievement is something incredible. It's a story which is to be told very boldly and proudly."
Check out the full interview below:
The talented actress also spoke about her initial reaction to the script of the film. She said, "I took 24 hours. I took the script, I read it. Then I re-read it. I shot Srikanth before Shaitaan. It was my entry into Bollywood so I immediately jumped at it. I thought it was fantastic. It was a very strong story to be told. Very inspirational. Nothing like being part of a biopic. It connects with people because it's a real story. I didn't see a better fit to have restarted. Then, of course, Shaitaan came and it added to the whole thing."
She added, "The character of Devika that I am playing in the film is a very strong and important character."
About Srikanth
Srikanth sheds light on the story of the industrialist who, despite being visually challenged, fought against all odds and became successful. Directed by Tushar Hiranandani, the film is scheduled to hit the theaters on May 10, 2024.