Exclusive! Rashmika Mandanna: I am too small to talk about the South versus Bollywood debate

Well-mannered, extremely kind and always wearing an infectious smile on her face, actress Rashmika Mandanna is called 'the national crush' for a plethora of reasons.

Over the years, her relatable-everyman demenaour and friendliness has struck a chord with people from all over the country. And today the actress paid her second visit to New Delhi for promoting her debut Bollywood flick, Goodbye, which is a slice-of-life film on family, love and relationships. 

During the press conference, she answered a few of our questions where she touched upon a lot of topics: ranging from boycott calls to Amitabh Bachchan being 'an intimidating presence' on set.

Rashmika also expressed that with her film's release barely a month away, she can barely contain her excitement.

"I think I am really excited because this is one film I was really looking forward for because the story and the concept itself is so different and new. i don't know, it's been a while since I have watched a film like Goodbye come out. So main toh bohot hi excited hoon (giggles!)," she said when asked about Goodbye being her first Bollywood movie comprising a stellar cast that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Neena Gupta, Pavail Gulati, among others, in leading roles. 

Interestingly, Rashmika's co-star from two of her massive successes, Geetha Govindam and Dear Comrade, Vijay Devarakonda has just launched his Bollywood career with the much-hyped Liger opposite Ananya Panday. While the film tanked at the box office, Mandanna— who is rumoured to have dated the actor with some reports claiming she still is—said the success of a film depends on the audience and their perspective.

"So I think it depends on people's persperctive honestly. (As in) what people like to watch in the films, what concept they want to watch. It is entirely onto the audience. Like tomorrow, I can't say ki this film (referring to GoodBye) is going to work for sure. Because I don't know. It's what kind of movies people want to watch and what they want to say about the movies. Bur we have done our job and we have done the best we can and i love the concept as an actor so I am excited (smiles!)" Rashmika explained. 

When we quizzed about the ongoing proverbial battle between the South Indian movies and Bollywood in today's time, she laughed it off by saying she is "too small" to get into that debate. 

"And the thing that you asked about the Hindi film and South Indian films and yeh woh... I am just too small to talk about all of that. I don't know and I have no comment on that (laughs!). Because, I believe that, I think about two weeks or about a month back, my film Sita Ramam released and it got immense love from everywhere. Not only from South but also from Hindi and the North belt," Rashmika Mandanna told us.