It has been a decade since Shanvi Srivastava entered the film industry, and she has watched cinema and her priorities change. From films such as Chandrika, which marked her debut followed by films like Masterpiece, and Avane Srimannarayana to America America 2, releasing on September 11, the actor says she has learnt that being visible is not the same as being valued.
“Except for myself, I think everything around me has changed, and it is in a good way,” she says. That has altered the way she approaches work. Early in her career, she was keen to keep moving, but eventually realised that choosing a film simply to remain busy was not enough.
“There came a point when I didn’t want to be in survival mode, doing films to earn money. The middle-class mindset saved me. In the beginning of my career, I did things for myself and then took the path of choosing scripts for me. It takes time, and it takes a lot of rejection from my end and from the team’s end.”
For Shanvi, the difficult part is balancing visibility with waiting for the right opportunity. “We should keep coming, and we should be visible. As people say, out of sight and out of mind. But I tell them, being on the sidelines and not being valued is not good. Something will come where you will be valued enough, and America America 2 is that film.”
The film has also given her a renewed appreciation for the value of a director-led set. Her association with Nagathihalli Chandrashekar, she says, was a major reason for taking up the project.
“I am happy to sign ten more scripts like this. Let the director and script be the hero, and I just want to be the actor. Nagathihalli Chandrashekar is the safety net.”
America America 2 also places her in a love triangle, though Shanvi insists it is not the familiar version. What interested her was the emotional space given to its female protagonist.
“This is a subject I was seeking, to not be in the centre but be equally important. Ninety percent of heroines are struggling to find this space, and when we get it, we grab it. If I get it and I don’t take it, it is my loss.”
She says the story goes beyond romance and speaks to women negotiating several relationships and responsibilities. “The film represents an entire woman. Do women find love? Yes, but you have to just find yourself.”
That freedom extended to her appearance and performance. “As a female actor, everything should look prim and proper; even an acne matters to that level of perfection. But here, I was carefree. I have actually lived the character.”
Sharing the screen with co-stars, Nirup Bhandari and Pruthvi Ambaar, was another part of that experience. “The pillars of strength were my co-actors. The space and freedom they gave me, and how we discussed things after each shot, made a difference. I hope that collaboration is seen.”
Working with Nagathihalli Chandrashekar also meant adapting to a filmmaker who, she feels, understands emotion without rushing it. “There are very few directors who can handle emotion on screen. He is not rash about it. Family audiences will get connected.”
For Shanvi, America America 2 is not a calculated comeback. It is a film she believes came at the right time, with the right people and the right story. “There is never a right and wrong. The film that touches people’s emotions is the right film. It depends on person to person," she concludes.
