Whether it's different cultures, languages or people, I enjoy change: Sreeleela

In a quick chat, Sreeleela talks to us about exploring a new side of herself through her Tamil debut, Parasakthi , juggling multiple film industries at once, embracing change, her Hindi debut, and more…

‘SUDHA KONGARA MA’AM HAS TAPPED INTO A DIFFERENT SIDE OF ME’Sreeleela makes it clear just how important a film Parasakthi is for her. She emphasises, “Sudha Kongara ma’am has tapped into a different side of me. Parasakthi ’s filmmaking process has triggered a couple of thoughts in my head and even in my personal life. It has been a very important film for me. Dubbing in Tamil was new for me, but I enjoy the language. I’ve had an inclination towards Tamil for a while already. People are making such cute reels of the songs from the film, and I watch them every day.”


‘SK SIR IS A HUGE INSPIRATION TO EVERY BOY OUT THERE WHO DREAMS’When quizzed about her favourite Tamil actor, Sreeleela replies, “There are too many. For now, I’m in full Parasakthi mode. So, SK sir.” She gushes about working with Sivakarthikeyan and their onscreen chemistry, stating, “Once we started shooting, I got to know about his journey of becoming an actor and all of his phases. I have so much respect for him. He is a huge inspiration to every boy out there who dreams. There is so much to imbibe from him. He is very calm, and I think somewhere, I’ve also imbibed that from him. SK sir is the best, and our pairing has worked out well. It’s one of my best pairings.”

‘DESPITE MY IMAGE, I’M MORE INTO CALM AND CHILL MUSIC’Though Sreeleela is famous for her high-energy chartbusters, Ratnamala from Parasakthi is her favourite, as it reflects her off-screen sensibility. She opines, “I don’t know why, but I have a certain image. It’s maybe because of the kind of work I did for a while. And of course, there’s an aspect of it that I enjoy. But I’m a person who listens to more melodies. I’m into calm and chill music. Ratnamala is the song that is closest to that. It’s my kind of song and close to my reality.”

‘I HAVE A DIFFERENT PLAYLIST FOR EVERY CITY I GO TO’The actress thrives on change, and juggling between multiple film industries excites her. Sreeleela remarks, “I absolutely love it. I’m someone who is inclined towards a lot of change. I enjoy change. Whether it’s different cultures, languages or people, it’s very true to my nature. So, I’ve loved it. I have a different playlist for every city I go to. The kind of food I eat changes, and sometimes, my vocabulary and accent change, too. It’s fun.”

‘TIME HAS TAUGHT ME A BIT AND I’VE STUCK TO MY GUT FEELING’Looking back on her journey, she shares, “When I came in, I was a little younger, and I was also figuring things out. But time has taught me a bit. Now, I’ve probably understood what I want and how to take it forward. It’s important to keep going one step at a time. That’s what I’d say to anybody who dreams. You can’t expect things to happen all the time; you have to keep moving for some progress. Everyone has that phase where they’re asking multiple people what the right choice is. However, you later stick to your gut feeling, and that’s also what I have done.”

On her Hindi debut...“I’m looking forward to my Hindi debut. There’s a lot to say, but there’s still time left for the film. It’s been fabulous working with them (Kartik Aaryan and director Anurag Basu),” says Sreeleela.