Srinidhi Shetty about Vikram 58: After watching KGF, Ajay Gnanamuthu did not want to cast me in his film

It was director Ajay Gnanmuthu's previous film, Imaikkaa Nodigal, that caught the interest of Srinidhi Shetty, who rose to fame with the Kannada film, KGF - Chapter I. Srinidhi is now set to make her Tamil debut with the director's next project, starring Chiyaan Vikram.  

Though she wanted to wait for the release of KGF - Chapter 2 before signing other projects, Srinidhi had a beeline of filmmakers offering films while she was still shooting for Prashanth Neel's directorial. "I got to listen to a lot of scripts across different languages, but I wanted to give the go-ahead only if something interested me. When I got to know about Ajay Gnanamuthu, I recalled watching his previous film, Imaikkaa Nodigal, and felt that he had handled the edge-of-the-seat plot very well. He has come up with an equally good script, and I thought it would be a good beginning in Tamil," she says, adding, "However, I wanted to ensure there would be no date clashes with KGF - Chapter 2. I took up the project only after consulting the director and team, who were ready to adjust the dates."

Srinidhi has never been in a hurry in her career. "I have been with KGF for the past four years, and could have waited for another six to eight months for the release. However, this project just fell in place at the right time," she says.

Before foraying into Tamil with Vikram 58, her first step, she says, is to learn the language. "I can understand Telugu and speak a few words. Tamil is a bit difficult. But now that I have signed this project, I am taking extra effort to learn and have started with the basics. Moreover, director Ajay is particular about the lipsync. He is making sure that I learn the language."

According to Srinidhi, KGF has helped her spread her wings with its pan-India release. "Even though you are rooted in your place and city, exploring new avenues is the life of an artist, and that's exactly what I am doing."

The actor reveals that Ajay did not initially consider her for his film. "When he saw me in KGF, he felt that I would not suit the role he had sketched. However, when he watched my interviews, he felt I was a different girl, and decided to cast me," she says.

Srinidhi is also happy to be associating with a star like Vikram in her debut film. "I have grown up watching his films and it will be a pleasure to work with an actor like him," says the actor, who will be in Chennai today for the look test.