Samyuktha Menon stills at Bimbisara Movie Interview

Samyuktha Menon starrer Bimbisara is set to release on August 5th, 2022. In the interview Samyuktha Menon talks about how Tollywood films differ from Malayalam movies, her upcoming projects, and more.

It was in 2016 that I started doing acting with the Malayalam movie ‘Popcorn’. After my first movie, everyone commented that I am a bad actor At that time, I was preparing for an exam and I just acted in that movie casually. I had no idea about the script. I was 20 or 21.
The first exciting opportunity that my way was ‘Bimbisara’. I was told it would be made in two parts. NTR Arts producing it excited me even more. Sai Dharam Tej’s 15th film came later. And finally came my way ‘Bheemla Nayak’, although that’s the first one to be released in theatres. Dhanush sir’s ‘SIR’ movie, too, came to me the same day. I was thrilled to sign two movies on the same day.

When it comes to the movie Bimbisara.. it is a time travel movie. The movie takes place in the present time as well as many years ago. I am playing the role of a modern young woman in a story set in the present day. Being a simple character, there was no need to struggle much. I felt that it would have been better if the episode had a periodical concept. Because..I like movies like Baahubali and Bajirao Mastani. Kalyan Ram is a very emotional actor. He expresses his feelings with his eyes. I felt very happy when you came to me on the first day and said that you are proud to be part of our project. No one in my career has ever said that. That is proof of his goodness.

But even though I didn’t know the language during the shoot, the entire team supported me fully. But I don’t like acting just lip service. That’s why I thought I should learn Telugu, so I hired a Telugu tutor for one hour a day and learned Telugu. With that, offers came in Telugu. During the time of Covid, an offer came from Bimbisara. Director Vashishta said that this movie is going to be made in two parts. Then Sai Dharam Tej got an opportunity in 15th film. Then came the chance of Bhimla Nayak’s film. I signed two movies on the same day, Bhimla Nayak and Dhanush’s movie Sir. I was confused as I got consecutive offers like this. My films have not been released yet. I doubted whether I can act in a big project. After that I was able to make that film with the support of the director and producers.

In Mollywood, we do a lot of movies in a year (because they are small in scale). I am glad that I am getting to do big movies simultaneously in both Telugu and Malayalam (for example, Prithviraj Sukumaran’s ‘Kaduva’). I have been working non-stop. It’s not just acting that I am passionate about. I like cinema as a whole. I am only happy that I am getting to work every single day!

Malayalam movies have compact production where 100-115 individuals exist on set at a given time. The communication between actors and director is direct. In Malayalam, we shoot in real locations. That’s why films there look authentic.

The Samyuktha Menon you saw in ‘Bheemla Nayak’ was not the starting stage of my career. I had been working very hard in Malayalam. I have played a variety of roles in Mollywood. I am privileged to say that I am getting to play substantial roles in Telugu. There, movies are realistic. Here, movies are cinematic.