With region or language no longer as a barrier for creative people, artistes are branching out without fear. Marathi mulgi Mrunal Thakur, who made her Telugu debut with Dulquer Salmaan-starrer 'Sita Ramam' (2022), is gearing up for her next big Telugu project—debutant director Shouryuv’s untitled next, opposite south star Nani. The first muhurat shot of the Nani-starrer will take place on January 31. To ensure that the dialect flows fluently in the film based on the relationship of a father and daughter, the actor has begun prep.

“Everyone working with me on the film has been briefed to talk to me only in Telugu whenever I come to Hyderabad for the shoot,” she says, rattling off some phrases in the language with perfect diction and pronunciation. Thakur says she fell in love with the Telugu language while working on director Hanu Raghavapudi’s film. She hopes that her love for the language doesn’t stop her at only mugging up the dialogues.

Recalling the difficulties while working on Sita Ramam, which premieres today on Star Gold, Thakur says, “If I had a better command over the language, I would be able to improvise my performance [and reciprocate] to my co-actor’s lines. [My process starts with] translating dialogue to English, then Marathi and then saying it in Telugu. It has to all seem effortless.”

Shoot for Shouryuv’s directorial venture, which also marks Nani’s 30th film in the industry, is scheduled in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Coonoor and Goa.