Dhanya Balakrishna is an actress who enjoys popularity due to her looks as well as the kind of roles she picks. In this exclusive interview with IndiaGlitz, the choosy actress talks about 'Thanu Vachenanta', the icon she sees in Kangna Ranaut, her love failure and how she sees love now, so on and so forth.

What is your role in 'Thanu Vachenanta', and what is the genre about?

I am playing a lead role with Rashmi Gautam and Teja Kakumanu (who played Saketudu in 'Baahubali' and who hails from theatre background) in this film. It's a love triangle and what happens among the three characters is the core. The film properly introduces the concept of zomedy at the outset. We are bringing to Telugu film industry a new concept.

Zombies work on a different level and so, the characterizations have to be different. In a horror film, dead spirits turn into devils. In a zomedy, the dead ones emerge directly out of the grave. The genre has been tried by Michael Jackson, Saif Ali khan in Hindi, and by Jayam Ravi in Tamil. Zombies are a different approach to a thrilling experience.

I like to do comedy. My character has more of a romantic side than comedic side, though. It's good that the heroines are trying comedy, of late. In Hollywood, full-fledged heroine-oriented comedies have been made. We would do well to do that here.

Is 'Thanu Vachenanta' a female-oriented thriller?

You can say so, if you would. It's a story about two girls and a guy who is caught between the two characters. Rashmi has got a lot of popularity. The idea behind putting her on the posters was to attract a lot of audience to theatres. There has been a sea change in people's tastes. They are now willing to watch films which are only women-oriented.

As an actress who wants to carve a niche for yourself, who between Anushka, Kangna Ranaut and Radhika Apte would you choose?

I am a big fan of Anushka garu. When it comes to being bold, Kangna Ranaut garu would be on the top. She is very daring.. She doesn't mind taking risks that most people usually avoid. She broke all the walls and became successful. I would definitely want to be like her by trying new genres. I want to stay free of the conventional heroine roles, and be curious like her.

For your popularity, you have done a disproportionately less number of movies. Why so?

What can I say? People don't approach me for typical, commercial movies for whatever reasons. Whatever I have done, people have always appreciated me. People tell me I have tried many roles. In my very first Telugu movie ('SVSC'), I got to do a difficult scene with Mahesh Babu garu. In 'Second Hand', I did a character with three shades. I don't know if I will ever get to do such roles. I am thankful that people remember me for the work I have done.

After 'Raja Rani', I got a lot of similar roles. I was offered a friend's role in 3-4 movies of Nayanthara. I didn't want to get typecast. I can't always be doing a role that stands next to the heroine. I want to play roles that are well integrated into the plot. I am of late getting interesting roles in Tamil and will do so soon.

We get what we deserve. It's not like I am going to fight for roles. We can't sit and complain. I love what I do and give it my best shot. Having expectations about working with big stars, etc can lead to disappointments. I truly enjoy being on the set, and standing in front of camera. I never think about roles that don't come to me.

Despite being a greenhorn, you pulled it off opposite someone like Mahesh Babu with aplomb. How could you do that?

I behaved as though I was confident. But I was jittery deep down, just as Shruti Haasan was in 'Race Gurram'. I am a big fan of Mahesh garu and he being such a big actor, it was very nervous to tell the lines looking into his eyes. To make it all the more hard, the line was lengthy. It was a dream-come-true moment. I must thank the Telugu cinema for recognizing my talent.

Incidentally, 'SVSC' was also the film in which you looked the most beautiful. What is the secret of your beauty, by the way?

Nothing in particular. Just be happy. You will have disappointments, you will have bad days, but fight your way and stay happy. Drink a lot of water, and keep the people around you happy.

You look more beautiful in sarees. Do people tell you that?

Yes, they do. They all say I look good in Indian wear. But I don't wear them on an ordinary day. I feel comfortable wearing jeans and tees.

Are you open to doing skin show?

Doing experimental roles doesn't mean showing skin. I don't want to be objectified. I can't be a glam doll, adding no value to the script. If the script demands, I can give skin show a thought. But I won't be doing it for the sake of it. It should make an absolute sense.

What do you do on a boring day, apart from twitching your nose?

(Laughs). I go on long walks. As I am a resident of Bengaluru, I love to sip into ginger tea at the small tea joints. I work out in the gym. I love to read.

You do get a lot of comments on social media. Which is the weirdest one you ever got?

The other day, I posted a pic of a protest I had done on saving the trees with the comment, 'Sunday.. I went for a protest.. It was fun day.' Someone posted a comment saying I am boring and so, won't get married because I find fun in protesting on Sundays. Usually, I get a lot of 'Marry me', 'You are the most beautiful' kind of messages that are lies. (Smiles). People tell me they like my South Indian looks, especially my eyes.

Many tell you they love you. But did you ever fall in love?

Yes, I was in love in the past. But my love failed. I am not in love right now. I am in love with my job.

How could you cope up with the