From Roadies and Bigg Boss to Telugu cinema, Kriti Verma is steadily making her mark as an actress. After gaining recognition through Hindi reality television, she is now exploring new avenues in the Telugu film industry. Kriti says reality television played a major role in shaping her career and giving her the recognition she enjoys today. Reflecting on her journey, she said, “I think reality shows are one of the biggest fame boosters, especially when you’re a fresher. Getting an opportunity to be part of shows like Roadies and Bigg Boss, one of Asia’s biggest TRP shows hosted by Salman Khan is something anyone would dream of. I never came to become an actor, but because of those reality shows only, I think I’m a South Indian lead actress today.”
Kriti revealed that her journey into the Telugu film industry happened purely by chance, after Bigg Boss Hindi made her a familiar face. Recalling the turning point, she said, “Bigg Boss gave me fame, and I’ve always been a good dancer. I was performing at a live dance show in Jaipur when someone from the Telugu industry saw me and contacted my team for an item song in the Telugu film Paderu 12 Miles.” She added that the opportunity eventually changed the course of her career. “That was my first entry into the South. I received good word-of-mouth publicity on the sets, and soon I was offered the lead heroine’s role in the Telugu film O Andala Rakshasi. That’s where my South career actually began,” she said.
Kriti believes the Telugu film industry gave her an opportunity to become a lead actress, something she feels would have been more difficult in Bollywood. Sharing her honest opinion, she said, “The Telugu industry gave me a chance to play the lead in a big-budget film. Unlike Bollywood, I feel there is a lot of nepotism there. Frankly, that’s how I see it, and that’s why I don’t even try much in Bollywood.” The actress also spoke about the warmth she experienced in the South. “Telugu people are very warm, and I really like them. There’s a huge demand for tall, beautiful girls like me, and I’ve received a lot of love here. I genuinely love the South industry, its warmth, and its hospitality,” she added.
Kriti also recalled an unpleasant experience on a Telugu film set, saying the language barrier sometimes led to misunderstandings. She said, “I was sitting for hair and makeup, and the hair artist refused to start until the makeup was finished. I kept telling him, ‘Please do the hair, we have very little time,’ but he didn’t listen because he wanted to work in his own way.” When the executive producer questioned why her hair wasn’t ready, Kriti said the team misunderstood the situation and assumed she could not understand Telugu. “They said I wasn’t letting the hair artist do his job, even though the reality was completely different,” she said.
Speaking about her favourites in Tollywood, Kriti admitted that she is a huge admirer of Mahesh Babu. She also revealed that she is often compared to Samantha during industry meetings. “I love Mahesh Babu. I really like Samantha too, and I love her song Oo Antava,” Kriti added.
Kriti Verma says Pushpa is her favourite Telugu film and recalled meeting Allu Arjun as a memorable fan moment. “I met Allu Arjun sir, at the Filmfare Awards in Kochi this year. He was very sweet, down-to-earth, and happily clicked selfies with me. We even had a brief conversation, and it was an amazing experience,” she said.
The post Exclusive: Kriti Verma : “Telugu Cinema Gave Me a Chance Bollywood Wouldn’t” appeared first on Telugu360.
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