Aishwarya Rajesh has been juggling projects in both Telugu and Tamil cinema. After the success of Sankranthiki Vasthunnam, the actor signed a few Telugu films. Her latest Telugu release is Oh! Sukumari, and she continues to be one of the most sought-after performers. While she has worked with notable filmmakers like Mani Ratnam, Vetri Maaran, and Anil Ravipudi, she has also worked with several debut directors throughout her career. "All of us were newcomers at one point. What matters to me is the way a director narrates the story and the confidence they inspire in me. That belief is what makes me say yes to a project," says Aishwarya.
The actor goes on to reveal that she has a dedicated team with whom she discusses every script before signing a film. "I have been part of the Tamil film industry for the last 10 years, so I understand that space well. When it comes to Telugu, I still have a few doubts, so I discuss every project with my team. After Sankranthiki Vasthunnam, I wanted to do more commercial films. I always insist on reading a bound script, whether it's in Tamil or Telugu. I have a small office at my house in Chennai where I sit with my friends, including a director and a few writers, and we discuss every script for hours before I make a decision," reveals Aishwarya.
When asked about how she developed a keen sense of script and filmmaking, Aishwarya says, "I wouldn't say I know everything about filmmaking, but after spending so many years in the industry, I have gained a fair understanding of every department. I don't think there's anything wrong with sharing what we know or listening to suggestions from others."
Despite delivering a commercial blockbuster like Sankranthiki Vasthunnam, Aishwarya has continued to choose unconventional roles. Speaking about how she handles success and failure, she says, "I delivered five consecutive hits in Tamil, and that year our house was filled with bouquets. The following year, I had only two hits, and naturally the number of bouquets coming home also reduced. But irrespective of the number of bouquets, nothing changed within me. I have learnt to move forward with confidence."
In Sankranthiki Vasthunnam, she spoke in the Godavari dialect, while in Oh! Sukumari, she used the Telangana accent. Asked whether switching dialects was difficult, Aishwarya says, "Not at all. Since I am a Telugu girl, I don't find any Telugu dialect difficult. I can speak different regional accents, and I consider myself fortunate to get opportunities to perform in various dialects in both Telugu and Tamil."
Apart from films, Aishwarya has also been actively working in the OTT space. "I don't want to limit myself to just one platform. Web series have tremendous global reach. My series Suzhal received an excellent international response. Even when I travelled abroad, many people spoke to me about it. It was released in 34 languages. I am currently working on one project for Prime Video and another web series for Jio Hotstar," reveals the actor, who is known for balancing female-centric films and true blue commercial entertainers. "When I entered the industry, many people used to say that a heroine's career lasts only three years. I believed that and thought I should do as many films as possible in a short span," says Aishwarya with a laugh, adding, "So far, I have acted in nearly 50 films, and I chose almost every role because I genuinely liked it."
When asked about the kind of characters she wants to play in the future, Aishwarya says, "So far, I haven't played many characters with negative shades. I would love to play a role like Neelambari. I am also interested in portraying obsessive characters like the ones seen in Obsession."