Actor Priyamani, who has worked across industries and languages in the south, in addition to starring in Hindi projects such as Article 370, Jawan (2023) and The Family Man, feels that it’s time to retire the notion that actors from the south should be cast in Bollywood films only as “south Indian characters”.

“We are as good-looking as anybody else. Our skin type might not be as fair and sparkling white as the ladies in Bollywood, but I don’t think that should matter,” she told Pinkvilla in an interview recently, adding that contrary to common perception, actors from the region are equipped to handle Hindi dialogue. 

“They speak it fluently, even if the grammar goes a little here and there. But that should not matter as long as the emotions are being portrayed. I think now the thing of north and south should change. We are always Indian actors,” added the actor, who stars alongside Ajay Devgn in the upcoming Maidaan.

On facing stereotyping in Hindi films, the 39-year-old, whose first brush with Bollywood was the dance number 1 2 3 4 Get on the Dance Floor in Chennai Express (2013), said, “Yeah, sometimes, they (Bollywood filmmakers) will say, ‘Oh, because it is a south Indian character, we want to cast you’.”