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Actor Raashii Khanna agrees with the conversation surrounding Bollywood films copying from South Indian projects to achieve box office success. However, she believes it's time to rethink this strategy. Also read : Raashii Khanna reflects on underperformance of Yodha at the box office, says ‘everyone knows’ it'll be out on OTT According to her, audiences are craving fresh content, and with dubbed films readily available online, it's essential for the industry to offer something new.
On Bollywood aping South In the era of pan-India films, a growing sentiment suggests that Bollywood is attempting to replicate successful South Indian projects to strike gold at the box office. Raashii acknowledges that this trend is indeed a reality. “I can’t disagree that we do see remakes from the south quite often but I think the industry is also realising more and more that the audience needs newer content and that dubbed films are anyway available to watch online,” Raashii tells us.
She continues, “Also, with the upcoming OTT platforms, language too is not a barrier anymore. I do see that shift in the thinking process and I can just hope that we are able to churn newer content and try different genres because honestly, no one knows anymore what works and what doesn’t”. On balancing her career in Hindi and south cinema After making her debut in 2013 with Madras Cafe, Raashii has created a name for herself in Hindi as well as Telugu and Tamil filmdom.
She has projects such as Oohalu Gusagusalade, Bengal Tiger, Supreme, Jai Lava Kusa, Tholi Prema, Imaikkaa Nodigal, Venky Mama, Sardar and Aranmanai 4 to her credit. Talking about both the industries, Raashii says, “Everyone shares the same passion to make good films and be part of them”. “The only thing I can think of, except the language; which is also not a barrier anymore is that each industry is rooted in its culture.
You will see those flavours of their traditional values subtly in their films. It’s amazing how united we are even in diversity because the emotions run the same through all languages. And that’s the common string,” adds the actor, who was most recently seen in Tamil-language historical horror film Aghathiyaa.
For The Sabarmati Report actor, working on Aghathiyaa was a learning experience. “The genre was the first thing that attracted me to Aghathiyaa and then of course the story which is a perfect element of thriller, horror and fantasy. My biggest takeaway is that horror films aren’t easy to shoot.
It takes a lot to bring it together. As an actor, it’s challenging in a way where you are reacting to things that aren’t really in front of you. It expands your imagination a bit also.
So it was quite a learning experience. And for Aghathiyaa, they have used a lot of new technology to give the audience a good theatrical experience, she shares. On her acting journey During the conversation, the actor admits that switching characters in different languages is difficult.
“It does take a toll on my health, both mental and physical, but I love acting and I don’t see it more as a challenge, I see it as an opportunity to keep growing and learning. I am a student of cinema and I will always be and I am very grateful to have had this long amazing journey. The idea is to keep growing and learning,” she says.
There was a time when she wanted to become an IAS Officer and called acting an insecure job. Do you still believe that? “Acting is a challenging profession, especially when you come from the outside with no industry backing. But over time, I’ve realised that every project is an opportunity to prove yourself and grow as an artist.
While box office numbers do play a role, I’ve also learnt that the ultimate fate of a film isn’t entirely in my hands — what is in my hands is the effort, dedication, and passion I bring to each project. With this understanding, I’ve found a sense of confidence and clarity, and that has helped me leave behind any insecurities,” says Raashii, who is also working on the second season of Farzi alongside Shahid Kapoor ..
