‘I remain unwavered in face of success, failure’

CHENNAI: Hansika Motwani talks to us over the phone, and there is a certain tone of enthusiasm right from the beginning. With Rowdy Baby, Guardian, Man, and Nasha in various stages of production, she is set to take center stage yet again this year. “Fingers crossed. Each film—Rowdy Baby, Guardian and Man are all unique in their own way. Also, every movie is important to me as an actor. It is not like one film is crucial and another film isn’t. They all come with their own unique elements for the audience. Rowdy Baby is a horror film, while Guardian is a horror thriller, and Man will be loaded with suspense,” she divulges.

Having worked across genres, Hansika tells us that she wants her film to deliver something for the audience, every time she listens to a script. “I switch off my Hansika mode when I listen to scripts and get into the audience’s shoes when I listen or read a script. Since cinema’s existence, the crux of a story is the same. Be it romance or thriller, the concept is one, it is the treatment that has been different and this is what I look for when I listen to a narration. Also, I see how other characters are written as well to take the story forward,” she opens up.

Having been a part of the Aranmanai franchise before, Hansika says that she absolutely had no apprehensions in signing back-to-back horror thrillers with Rowdy Baby and Man. “Aranmanai started the trend and I look forward to being a part of good cinema irrespective of the genre. In fact, I take pride in signing films in this genre because at the end of the day it’s all about being a part of good cinema,” says the actor.

Hansika will also be seen in her second OTT show, titled Nasha, this year. “For a movie we give only 30 to 35 days of our call-sheet and for an OTT series it is almost two to three times more. We also have to stay in the skin of the character for a much longer time. Be it films or OTT, it requires the same amount of hardwork and it is art to me.”

Talking about working with seasoned and debutant filmmakers, the actor calls herself ‘greedy’. “I would always want to work with both of them. Senior directors come with a lot of experience and there is so much learning there. Debutants come with a lot of passion and their scripts are their baby. I was also a debutante and came with a lot of aspirations. I will never turn them down,” she remarks.

Hansika has her own shares of ups and downs and has faced brickbats in her career. She agrees and replies that hard work has been her way of responding. “I am a positive person. You praise me and I will respond to you with folded hands. I will do the same if you criticise my work. I always believe in bettering myself and hard work is the key to it,” she concludes.