Top South actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu on Alia Bhatt in Dear Zindagi
Subhash K Jha (DNA; December 8, 2016)

One of Tamil and Telugu cinema’s most successful actresses Samantha Ruth Prabhu can’t stop raving about Alia Bhatt after seeing her in Dear Zindagi.

“I felt like a newcomer after watching her,” says the actress, who has been playing the lead since 2010 in Tamil and Telugu films.

“I suddenly see all of us must pull up our socks and work harder. Alia has brought in so much freshness to the screen. She is an absolute natural. I just want her to know that I will be watching her film carefully in future.”

Samantha who has been offered roles in Hindi cinema has so far resisted the temptation. “I didn’t want to be sucked into the abyss. Bollywood is very addictive. And it slots you for life. I’d rather have my freedom to do what I want to, to play who I want.” But now, with films like Dear Zindagi happening in Bollywood Samantha may take the plunge.

Samantha feels the time is right for actresses to attempt various characters in a different performing idiom. “No one comes to me with conventional roles. I think those are dying out,” she says.