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

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.”

Excerpts from the exclusive interview:

Ques:  You joined the second season of an already popular franchise. How did you approach your role as Alia Oberoi?

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.

Ques: Was it intimidating to go head-to-head with a powerhouse like Rana Daggubati, especially given how intense your confrontational scenes were?

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.

Ques: What gave you that confidence?

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.

Ques: Did your physical stature ever play on your mind while facing off with Rana onscreen?

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.”

Ques: How did you feel when you met Venkatesh for the first time?

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.

Ques: Looking back now, how do you feel about your performance?

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