Pradeep Ranganathan Isn't What He Appears On Screen, Reveals LIK Co-Star Krithi Shetty

Having worked across Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam cinema and delivered several successful films early in her career, actress Krithi Shetty says she is now more focused on growth, performance and longevity than just glamour or screen presence.

Her new film, LIK - Love Insurance Kompany, starring Pradeep Ranganathan and directed by Vignesh Shivan, is up for release on April 10 and Krithi is busy promoting her film. In the midst of her busy schedule, the actress in an exclusive conversation with NDTV, talks about learning on the job, dealing with social media pressure, and why she still believes in old-school love in a very modern world.

The LIK Story

Pradeep Ranganathan is an actor-director who has been delivering successive hits and teaming up with him and Vignesh Shivan for LIK means the movie looks like a sure-shot hit.

What was your experience working with Pradeep and Vignesh?

"Working with Pradeep was a very pleasant experience. Contrary to how he appears on screen, he is a very quiet and calm person with a great sense of humour and timing. He always has this reassuring smile that everything is going to be okay.

"What I admire most about him is the fire he has to give his best to the audience which has resonated with the audience too. Vignesh sir, on the other hand, has very high standards for performance. If people like my character in the film, I think the credit goes to him because he had very clear expectations and pushed me to give my best in every scene," explains Krithi.

The young actress has worked with stars like Nani, Tovino Thomas and Karthi, and she says that she views every film as a learning process. "I feel like I evolve every single day. Every day on set is a new opportunity to learn and grow. As an artist and even as a person, you have to be willing to learn and evolve.

"That is the only constant. I'm very grateful to each and every one of them," she smiles, adding that she has been fortunate to work with directors, co-actors and technicians who have guided her and helped her improve as a performer.

Breaking Down Stereotypes

Films like Uppena, Shyam Singha Roy, Bangarraju, Manamey and Ajayante Randam Moshanam (ARM) showcased her diversity and ability to seamlessly essay any character. So, what does she look for in every script that she has signed?

"I think ultimately, it's the script. I think maybe a year or two ago, I was solely focusing on my characters. But now I look at the script overall and see if I have something new to present to the audience. Also, it has to be a role that I will enjoy doing.

"If you have fun doing a role, the audience will have fun watching you. The only thing that is in my control as an actor and as an artist is my performance and the experience that I have while doing it. I have to make the best of it because we only have one life, right," says Krithi wisely.

But has there been any film that she regretted doing? "Yes, I honestly have felt that way," laughs Krithi. "People did like that film of mine but I feel like I have made some questionable choices. But at the end of the day, it got me where I am and I am okay with that. I don't think I have any expectations for myself to be perfect - we all learn and grow. Everyone has ups and downs in their career, and that's part of the journey."

One of the biggest challenges for actresses in commercial cinema is the risk of being stereotyped, particularly as a glam heroine. Kriti says she is aware of the perception but is not overly worried - as long as she gets opportunities to prove herself as a performer. "I train very hard to be a good actor, not just someone who looks good on screen," she says.

"Beyond being presentable, I want people to see my potential as an artist and performer. I haven't explored dance beyond regular songs, I haven't explored action, and I haven't explored intense roles yet. Those are the things I'm looking forward to in the next few years.

"I've invested in myself all these years to be able to one day when a role comes to me, I'll be able to give it my all. Slowly I'm gaining confidence in myself as a performer and I hope those roles also manifest in some way." Krithi reveals that she is also set to make her Bollywood debut soon but does not disclose more than that.

Social Media Obsession

Her upcoming film LIK deals with a subject that is increasingly relevant - social media obsession and the need for validation in the digital age. Kriti says the role was challenging precisely because it had to be performed with emotional honesty.

"For instance, there's a scene where my character Dheema is crying because she isn't getting enough likes. For some people that may look ridiculous. But for someone like an influencer whose life revolves around social media, that is their reality," she says. "Portraying that scene naturally was a good challenge for me. If I can get into the character enough where it hits me and organically makes me cry, that makes me happy. And it came to me naturally on set and it made me happy."

Being part of the current generation, how much does social media really matter to her? "I handle my own social media because I feel since people like everything that I post or say on social media, people should know it's me. It'll be like I'm lying if someone else is handling it. Maybe 10 years ago before I became an actor and Instagram had just launched here; I was obsessed with how many likes I got and followers I had.

"Somewhere in my generation, social media popularity is a little embedded in our mind. When I became an actor, I think it meant less and less to me - all that mattered was the message I wanted to spread through social media. I've always had a passion to spread kindness on social media. Like if I could make one person happy or make a difference in some people's lives through social media, that would mean so much to me."

And what would The Warrior actor say to young people who are obsessed with social media? "I think it's really sad because we are slowly starting to believe in gadgets more than people. We think technology is perfectly calculated and therefore reliable, but that's not always the truth. It's a dangerous direction, and I hope people realise that. Even in LIK this theme exists," she points out.

For someone so active in the public eye, Krithi Shetty is surprisingly old-fashioned when it comes to love. She says, "I still believe in the old-school concept of love. Maybe 10 or 15 years down the line, I would like to have a long-term love story. But right now, I have a lot of work to do." As she signs off, we ask her if she is currently dating anyone and is in love, Krithi laughs and says, "At the moment, I am only in love with cinema."

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