I lacked the courage to leave my Telugu film career for Bollywood: Liger actor Ramya Krishnan

Ramya Krishnan says her short stint in Bollywood made her evaluate her choices as a performer and pushed her to divert her attention toward the South film industry.

The Padayappa actor made her acting debut in 1983 with the Tamil film Vellai Manasu, and in a career spanning close to four decades, she has acted in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi languages. In Hindi cinema, Krishnan is featured in Dayavan, Parampara, Khalnayak, Chaahat, Banarasi Babu and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.

“None of the films did well (here) and I was already a star or a leading heroine in the Telugu industry. So I didn’t have the guts to leave that industry and come and fight my battle (in Hindi cinema). I didn’t dare to give it all away,” Ramya Krishnan said. “For you to do more films in a certain industry, you need a successful movie. Unluckily, that also didn’t happen in Hindi and I was comfortable doing Telugu films,” she added.

Some of Krishnan’s celebrated films from the south are Allari Priyudu (Telugu), Kante Koothurne Kanu (Telugu), Padayappa (Tamil), Sweety Nanna Jodi (Kannada), Panchathanthiram (Tamil), Baahubali series (Telugu) and Super Deluxe (Tamil).

The 51-year-old actor said she is grateful to the filmmakers from the South for offering her diverse work. “I am glad I got diverse opportunities, like Kamal Haasan’s movie Panchathanthiram, where I played a call girl Maggie. It was a rage at that time. Then with Rajni sir, I did Padayappa, in which I played the antagonist, and then a film like Super Deluxe. So these kinds of roles have opened doors for more opportunities. Maybe that’s why I am not typecast,” Ramya Krishnan stated.

In her latest release Liger, she plays leading man Vijay Deverakonda’s mother Balamani.

Shot simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi, the movie is directed by noted South filmmaker Puri Jagannadh and revolves around an underdog fighter (Deverakonda) from Mumbai, who competes in an MMA championship.

Krishnan said Balamani is a complex character and cannot be defined as just a conventional “mother” role.

“You cannot label it as a mother’s role. It is a supporting one. She has a strong and aggressive side to her.” Liger also starring Ananya Panday, opened in theatres on August 25. The film is backed by Jagannadh and Charmme Kaur’s banner Puri Connects and Karan Johar-led Dharma Productions.

Up next for Krishnan is the Rajinikanth-led movie Jailer, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar of Doctor fame and the second season of the MX Player series Queen.