'SRK fan' Nayanthara opens up on her Bollywood debut 'Jawan'
Making her Bollywood debut in the 2023 pan-India film Jawan, "Lady Superstar" Nayanthara, a prominent figure in the Tamil film industry, embarked on a new chapter. In this Atlee directorial, she shared screen space with Indian cinema icon Shah Rukh Khan. Now, Nayanthara has opened up about her experience working alongside Khan and the reasons behind choosing this project for her foray into Bollywood.
Why does this story matter?
In Jawan, Nayanthara portrayed Narmada Rai, the leader of Force One, Mumbai police's counter-terrorism unit. Khan played dual roles as both father and son. While Vijay Sethupathi portrayed the antagonist, Priya Mani, Sanya Malhotra, Riddhi Dogra, Sunil Grover, Girija Oak, and Omkar Das Manikpuri played supporting roles. The film also featured special appearances by Deepika Padukone and Sanjay Dutt. Reportedly accumulating over ₹1,148.32cr, it emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of 2023.
'Who isn't his fan?': Nayanthara expressed admiration for co-star
In a conversation with Hello Magazine, Nayanthara expressed her admiration for Khan. She stated, "Who is not his fan? We have all grown up watching his films and we all love them." "Apart from being the huge star that he is, I really admire the fact that he respects women a lot...I was pretty sure that Jawan would create a huge impact. She continued, "After working so many years you know when a film is going to work."
When Nayanthara felt disheartened due to less screentime
Following the release of Jawan, a segment of the audience voiced their discontent over Nayanthara's less screentime. Reports suggested that Nayanthara was disheartened by being overshadowed by Padukone's extended cameo. While she didn't officially address the issue, Khan acknowledged the matter in an 'Ask SRK' session last year. Responding to a fan's comment, SRK mentioned, "I felt that the story of Narmada (Nayanthara) as a single mom was amazing. Unfortunately, in the scheme of things couldn't find more screen time."
Here's a quick look at her upcoming ventures
Nayanthara was last seen in the Kollywood drama Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food, which stirred controversy for offending Hindu sentiments. The film hit theaters on December 1 and later premiered on Netflix on December 29. However, amid mounting criticism, it was eventually removed from the OTT platform. Looking ahead, Nayanthara is set to grace the screen in S Sashikanth's upcoming sports drama The Test. Presently, she is filming Mannangatti: Since 1960, helmed by Dude Vicky.
