Janhvi Kapoor Compares Working In ‘Devara’ To Sridevi’s Early Work In Bollywood: She Kind Of Felt Alien

In an interview with Film Companion, \ recalled working with Jr NTR in ‘Devara’ and said, “It’s a lot of fun. I am having a blast. I think I have gotten to a point where, after doing all these films wherein I am dying in a freezer, dislocating my shoulder, or acting with a rat, I realise I am allowing myself to do what comes naturally to me which is like nautanki, dialoguebaazi, dancing, and just having fun. And doing the kind of roles I have grown up enjoying and loving.” She added that she is getting to do it all in the film, and hence, she is going easy on herself and enjoying it.

Interestingly, she also compared her first Telugu film to her mother Sridevi working in the first Hindi film.

Janhvi said, “While working on Devara, I felt closer to mom. It is quite ironic because when she started doing Hindi films, she didn’t know the language, and they called her a ‘parrot’. She would hear the dialogue and repeat it, and she was very good at it. She kind of felt alien in that environment, and I am going to Telugu cinema.”?

The ‘Mili’ actress added that she does not know the language and is only phonetically familiar with Tamil. Hence, she records her dialogues and her DOP Randy (Rathnavelu) calls her a ‘tape recorder’. Janhvi added, “So, I feel like I now have an understanding of what she did and it feels like home. Even before the film, I think they accepted me with open arms and so much love. Even on the sets, it feels like a big warm hug.”?

Helmed by Koratala Siva, ‘Devara: Part 1’ features Jr NTR and Janhvi Kapoor. Saif Ali Khan has been roped in as the antagonist in the film. The film also stars Bhaira, Prakashraj, Srikanth, and Shine Tom Chacko. The music is composed by Anirudh Ravichander, and it is scheduled to hit the theatres this year. The teaser of the film will be out on January 8, 2024.