One of the leading ladies of SPY, Sanya Thakur, discussed with The Pioneer her fondness for South cinema, witnessing throngs of fans popping crackers like it was a Diwali bonanza for SPY, going to the theatre, and more.
SHIKHA DUGGAL
One of the most exciting up-and-coming actresses in Telugu cinema could be the second leading lady of SPY. Only time will tell. We recently had the opportunity to chat with actress Sanya Thakur in an exclusive interview, during which she graciously discussed her career, her film SPY, and other topics.
As she begins the interview on a hearty note, we hear her speaking, “In contrast to my relative inexperience in the Telugu film industry, I haven’t completed many projects in Hindi. You have to witness how devout the Telugu film industry is, even if it’s working on a movie production! They hold you in the highest regard as an actress or a professional who has joined the team; you will never be equated with a superstar. So grounded, I tell you.”
Furthermore, she added, “I couldn’t help but notice how the success of movies was being celebrated in the South. I witnessed throngs of fans popping crackers like it was a Diwali bonanza. Working for television simply prevents you from experiencing these emotions.” The interviewee continued, “In fact, for me, Spy was a very different movie because I was meant to play a RAW agent. I received a surprising amount of mileage from this movie, even though I had fewer scenes. I was acknowledged! The primary ladies in Spy were portrayed on screen as actual powerpuff girls rather than just props by the filmmakers.”
Telling us a little more about the preps and fondest memories spent on the sets of her Telugu venture, she says, “We were using actual guns for practice. I found the first few efforts to be quite phoney, but as soon as I grabbed onto the machines, everything on the SPY sets began to appear strong and real. I also remember getting back in touch with actor Makarand Despandey, with whom I had previously worked on plays. He is my real-life guru! After that, I saw some footage, and what really shocked me was that during my entry scene, I could see fans whistling for me. This was the most massy response I had ever received.”
To our readers’ surprise, Sanya actually went to the theatre so randomly, and what she saw only impressed her further. “Not only did they yell and whistle, but I could also see them showering my scenes with flowers through the celluloid. My eyes opened to the shocking realisation that I was just the second lead, and yet something like this could happen to an actress in the South. That was the highlight of that year.”
“My experience in theatre also lent me a lot of confidence! You already have a great deal of respect for the technical staff and the ADs, as I discovered when I visited the SPY sets and observed them at work. This is because your early theatre training instilled in you a strong work ethic and independence. I have occasionally created my own costumes or done my own makeup,” added Super 30 fame. At this point, she doesn’t want to limit herself to simply Tollywood because ” I’m willing to work in any and all film industries. Why can’t I get Korean parts like television actresses do these days? But Nayanthara in particular is someone I like; there’s a reason she’s referred to as the lady superstar. You will discover certain extremely rare attributes in her, and that’s also how I hope to develop my filmography.”
Before co-starring with Ishwarya Menon, she had her likes and dislikes while working as a television actress. A former theatre artist, she highlighted, “I worked on a very well-known television serial that, to me, felt like a full-time job. Days went by, and I began to dislike the way we were going about things. I briefly had the impression that I was working for a corporate office. Really difficult, with very little room for character development! And that’s all—the day I made my movie debut, it gave me the impression right away that this was what I had been searching for. Ninety days of shooting, and it’s over! There’s no need to worry about it because you can always take pauses.”
