'ISHQ', starring Teja Sajja as the male lead, is up for a theatrical release on July 30. In this interview, Priya Prakash Varrier, who is paired up with the 'Zombie Reddy' actor, talks about her character in the romantic thriller, what made her go for it, being part of Telugu cinema while also dabbling in Mollywood, whether the pandemic has affected her, and more.

How did 'ISHQ' happen to you? How does it compare with the Malayalam original?

I must say that 'ISHQ' happened to me in a snap. It took all of just two days for me to listen to the script and join the shoot. That's not how it happens usually with me. The film is a remake of 'ISHQ', the 2019 Malayalam original, which I liked so much.

How did you approach the role of a young woman who is in love with someone? As per the script, she goes through a lot of emotions.

Even though it's a remake, I have brought my own style to the table. I also thank director SS Raju for letting me do it in my own way. He gave me the artistic freedom to approach the character as per my understanding.

How was it working with Teja Sajja?

I had watched 'Oh! Baby' and loved it before I landed this film. He is always cool and lets his co-stars feel comfortable. He was supportive throughout.

You are doing both Mollywood and Tollywood movies. How do you compare them?

In Mollywood, films are more content-oriented. In Telugu, the expectations of the audience are different, as they expect them to be infused with commercial ingredients. That said, cinema is about entertainment at the end of the day. I like a movie to balance both content and entertainment.

How do you see the Telugu cinema?

Tollywood has become my second home for sure. I am also picking on the language. I am not fluent as of now but a couple of more movies will help me get to that stage! I am in talks for a movie, which will be made official by the makers themselves. In Mollywood, I am not doing any movies as of now. I am waiting for content-driven subjects there, as that's what the audience likes there.

Heroines are stereotyped in our movies. What kind of roles are you expecting to play in the coming years?

My focus is on acting and I want to do a variety of characters. If an opportunity comes my way, I would like to do a heroine-centric film.

In February, you had a flop in the form of 'Check'. Did that affect you?

In 'Check', I had only a small part. It was my Telugu debut and Chandrasekhar Yeleti sir was satisfied with my output. 'ISHQ' is my full-fledged Telugu debut and I am looking forward to its release. It's not a conventional romance. There is a lot more to the film than the love story. It's not the usual song-and-dance thing.

What matters to you the most when it comes to accepting movies?

The story comes first, followed by the nature of my character. I can't do a film that has nothing much for my character.

You became a national crush with that 'wink' video more than a year before the pandemic. Just as you completed your studies last year and just when you were planning to take off in films, the pandemic came. How do you see it?

The pandemic has affected me and everyone else. I was a college-goer when the 'wink' video happened. The pandemic has affected my filmography in the sense that things have got delayed. At one point, I was confused and was wondering if people would remember me. But then, it's also true that the pandemic has meant a pause for everyone and not just me.

A video in which you were having fun with your friends in Russia recently went viral. It seems to have upset you because a lot of people on social media judged you by it. What is your say on it?

The video pertains to my recent Russia trip. Someone who is into vlogging had put out that video. But some people here took a particular block from that video and made it viral with zero context.