Shanvi Srivastava: Characters stay in people’s hearts, not their screentime

The actor talks about her upcoming film Geetha, co-starring Ganesh, working on multi-starrers, and dubbing for herself for the first time
Shanvi Srivastava: Characters stay in people’s hearts, not their screentime

Shanvi Srivastava has reached a point in her career, where she feels that people remember her characters in films and not their onscreen time. In her upcoming film, Geetha, starring Ganesh, she plays the female lead along with two other heroines.

“Working in a multi-starrer alongside other heroines puts all the actors in a tricky position. I believe all of us undergo the same dilemma whether to accept the offer or stick to solo heroine films,” says Shanvi. She goes on to explain why she green-lights such multi-starrers. “When filmmakers approach me with the belief that I will fit into a certain character, I make sure that I am an integral part of their film.” 

She feels that it's her last film Tarak that changed her view, “I admit that for a long time, I preferred to be part of single heroine projects. I then accepted Tarak, which had two heroines. But I earned the love of the audience. That changed everything for me and I learnt to take all the films with the same interest. Today, the number of heroines in a film doesn’t matter to me, provided my character is prominent and it stays in people’s hearts.”

Shanvi says her role in Geetha takes the story forward. “Now my character's equation with the male lead and whether they end up together doesn't matter to me. The fact that I am taking the story forward is the only important thing.” 

The actor will be sporting two looks in the film — a retro look and a modern corporate look. Shanvi has dubbed for the first time for Geetha, and she has her fingers crossed. “I don’t know how people will receive it. But I believe this attempt will take me closer to the audience. Moreover, dubbing for a role makes the job of an actor complete. Now, I can say I am a proper Kannada actor.”

This is the second time she is teaming up with Ganesh, and she says working with such actors is a big learning opportunity. “Ganesh is a brilliant performer; all he needs is just one take to ace a scene. He is so spontaneous that if you don’t concentrate, you will miss the shot. After working with him in two films, I have learned to match his speed. To perform with such an actor is quite a challenge. That’s one of the reasons why I accepted Geetha.”
 
The result of a film also depends on the director and how he executes his vision, says Shanvi. According to her, debutant director Vijay Naagendra is a straight-forward person who doesn’t exaggerate or boast about anything. “On the sets, I always questioned him about my role, and used to ask him whether my character was shaping up the way it was meant to. I was sometimes doubtful, but he always assured me that mine was a special character,” she says.

Apart from Geetha, Shanvi is looking forward to the release of Avane Srimannarayana, co-starring Rakshit Shetty. She is also waiting to resume shooting for Ravi Chandra. The actor says she has become selective with her film choices. “I don’t reject films without a reason. The experience gained over the years, helps me choose the kind of characters. I have stopped picking up random roles, or ones that I have done already. They don't interest me anymore. Every actor has the urge to grow with every film and character,” she signs off.

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