'I wasn’t intimidated by Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh,' says Rana Naidu 2's Kriti Kharbanda | Exclusive

Kriti Kharbanda in Rana Naidu 2

Bollywood actress Kriti Kharbanda made a strong impression in the Netflix series Rana Naidu 2 as the fiery and unapologetic Alia Oberoi.

In an exclusive chat with Moneycontrol, the actress opened up about playing against type, squaring off with Southern film giants like Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh, and how she found power in presence—not size.

Joining an established cast in the franchise’s second season, Kriti stood her ground alongside powerhouses like Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh. Her portrayal of a tough girl, Alia Oberoi, is garnering her accolades.

In this exclusive chat with Moneycontrol, Kriti reflected on her experience and said, "I can’t lie, I wasn’t intimidated. I was happy. I was excited. But I wasn’t intimidated. I was thrilled that I’m going to be working with really good actors.”

The actress credited her confidence to her craft and said, "Acting is not about dialogue delivery. Acting is reacting. And when you have fantastic co-actors, even your reactions get noticed.”

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Kriti says that, for her, embodying Alia Oberoi meant channeling strength over stature. “I’m actually a very petite girl. I loved the idea of a five-foot-something taking on a six-foot-something. That power play was very exciting.”

She recalled a mantra that helped her during intense scenes with Rana Daggubati. Kriti laughed as she told us, “Every time I stood in front of Rana and felt like I was losing perspective, I’d tell myself, ‘He has to look down to talk to you. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.’”

"I realized that I’ve earned my way up here. It is not something that’s just falling on my lap. I have worked very hard for many years to be here today.”

Kriti Kharbanda: Playing Alia Oberoi was truly challenging. When I was reading her on paper… you always want to grow as an actor, but you're constantly afraid that you might take a wrong step. I’m so glad that it’s worked out the way it has.

Kriti: I can’t lie—I wasn’t intimidated. I was pleased. I was excited. But I wasn’t intimidated. I was thrilled that I’m going to be working with excellent actors. That’s the most exciting part.

Kriti: Acting is not about dialogue delivery. Acting is reacting. And when you have fantastic co-actors, even your reactions get noticed. That’s the magic of storytelling.

Kriti: I’m a very petite girl. I loved the idea of a five-foot-something taking on a six-foot-something. That power play was very exciting! Every time I stood in front of Rana and felt like I was losing perspective, I would tell myself, “See, he has to look down to talk to you. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.”

Kriti: I was a little nervous. I even blushed thinking, “Oh, he’s that person from Anari.” But he was so warm and kind. After five minutes of talking to him, all nervousness vanished.

Kriti: I’m very proud of my work. I’ve realized that I’ve earned my way up here. This opportunity didn’t fall into my lap. I’ve worked very hard to be here.

Kriti Kharbanda made her debut with a Telugu film Boni in 2009 and then went on to act in many Tamil and Malayalam films as well. She then made her Hindi film debut with Raaz: Reboot in 2006. She was also seen in Housefull 4. The actress says she is proud of every movie she has done and is now happy basking in the success of Rana Naidu 2 and welcoming Kriti 2.0