She may have been flying below the radar for the past couple of years, but Hansika Motwani is busier than she’s ever been. The actress has not one or two, but nine films lined up this year. “I feel blessed to have such good work and diverse roles coming my way at this stage of my career. I like keeping myself busy, being kept on my toes all the time and trying out new challenges. I’m doing exactly that this year,” shares Hansika.

Her upcoming Telugu film My Name Is Shruti has gotten Hansika excited. “It’s a thriller that explores a phenomenon called ‘skin trafficking’. I had heard of human trafficking before, but I never knew such a thing existed till I heard the narration. It’s the kind of film that made me want to know more on the subject even as I was shooting. I’m glad I did something as unique as this,” she says.

Challenging herself to pick scripts that requires her to get out of her comfort zone has always been her motto, says the actress. “So, when I got the chance to shoot for a single take film called 105 Minutes, I grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Given how I’ve been acting since childhood, I thought it would be easy, but it took me 20 days to do the whole film in a single take,” she adds.

Although just 31, Hansika has been in the industry for nearly two decades, having made her debut as a child artiste in 2003. “People tell me that I’ve not had a normal childhood since I was on the sets all the time. Even as I grew up, I kept doing films. I was barely sixteen when I was cast for Desamuduru. But acting is something I’ve always been passionate about. It’s not just ‘work’ for me; it’s something that gives me unmitigated joy,” she says.

Having been in the industry for so many years helped Hansika develop a thicker skin while dealing with trolls or negative comments on social media. “I always knew that you have to look a certain way to have a successful career in showbiz. But I love staying fit and looking after myself, so I don’t feel the pressure at all. I started my career before the age of social media, so I’ve never experienced trolling when I was younger. Now, I just follow the same process that I have for so many years. So, I’m pretty much immune to trolls,” she explains.

With five projects and one series in Tamil apart from one in Telugu, the actress is confident that the audience will get to see a whole new side of her in each project. “I’m a greedy actor so whatever medium or role I get to entertain the audience, I will take it. But more than my role, I know that if I’m asking the audience to come to the theatres, the film as a whole has to be engaging,” she says, adding, “I’ve seen both films and television evolve as I progressed in my career. Things have changed so much; the scripts have gotten better. The way roles are written for women not just in women-centric films but also in commercial cinema has changed, so we’re heading in the right direction. I can’t wait for the audience to see a new version of me on screen.”