Tollywood is the best: Kyra Dutt

Three years after she appeared in a song alongside Allu Arjun in Race Gurram, Kyra Dutt is back in Tollywood and she confesses that this time, she’s here for the long haul. She’s playing one of the lead roles in Balakrishna’s upcoming film Paisa Vasool, directed by Puri Jagannadh. Although she has just started shooting for her part in the film, the actress is gung-ho about her experience so far. “The experience of working in Tollywood is quite different compared to Bollywood. People are extremely disciplined and professional here, and there’s so much respect for the artistes,” she confesses.

Post Race Gurram, Kyra says that she continued to focus on her work in Mumbai, which eventually led her to act in Calendar Girls. She has already shot for another Hindi film which is to be released soon, and she has also made her debut in Bengali cinema with Zulfiqar. And then, one fine day, a conversation with Puri Jagannadh convinced her to take a leap of faith to test the waters in the Telugu industry. “After Race Gurram, I never made a conscious effort to be a part of South Indian cinema. I think it was my destiny that pulled me back here without even trying too hard. After meeting Puri, I was auditioned by his talent management agency and then, I got a call from Charmme, who wanted me to audition once again in Hyderabad. Initially, I was just going to be a part of their talent agency, but I guess they liked my audition so much that I ended up being part of Paisa Vasool too (smiles),” she says.

The actress is reluctant to spill the beans about the film; however, she reveals that she plays the role of an actress in the actioner. “All I can say is that my role will be a big surprise for the audience (laughs). Being a Bengali, I’m quite comfortable wearing saris and I can also pull off a western look with ease. Puri has tapped into that side of my persona pretty well in this film,” Kyra says, adding, “Puri, despite being such a popular director, is quite humble and then, there’s Balakrishna himself who makes everyone around him feel comfortable. He’s a big star and has been on top of his game for so long, but he’s always there to help his co-stars. With all of them around me, I feel that I’m in good hands (laughs).”

Ask her about her experience of working with Balakrishna, whom she calls the ‘original action hero’, and Kyra is all praise for her co-star. “He’s a bundle of energy! When he’s around on the sets, you can feel the energy rubbing off onto others as well. And he’s extremely punctual. When he has a day off from shoot, it feels really boring. I’ve become a huge fan of Balakrishna and even told him that,” Kyra adds, while admitting that the actor has been helping her become a better actress. “At times, when he isn’t in the frame, he’ll look at my shot in the monitor and guide me about how I can improve. It's really a sweet gesture.”

While learning her dialogues in Telugu has been a challenge, Kyra says that she’s determined to get better. “My goal is to dub my own lines in Telugu. I’ve worked in three film industries, and my experience here has been the best so far. I’ve been quite lucky to have worked with some of the best directors in three different industries. Besides, I’ve fallen in love with Hyderabad, and I definitely see myself straddling Telugu cinema and Bollywood,” Kyra signs off.