Laal Rang actor Meenakshi Dixit: Hindi projects are my focus but South films equally important’
The Laal Rang and Lupt actor Meenakshi Dixit is happy balancing both regional and Hindi film industry and wants to continue doing so.
Rae Bareli-girl and actor Meenakshi Dixit has carved a niche for herself with Southern film stint. The Laal Rang (2016) and Lupt (2018) actor is happy balancing both regional and Hindi film industry and wants to continue doing so.
On her visit to her maternal home in Lucknow, Dixit says, “Hindi se attachment hoga hi kyonki woh meri matrabhasha hai. Then with a Hindi project people in my home city can see me in the theatre. But with regional films releasing pan-India, language is no bar as the barrier has been broken and on top of it, the OTT is ruling the roost. Ab koi farak nahi padta.”
The Maharishi (2019) actor adds, “I too want to take up more Hindi projects, but as I have started from Southern films and have learnt everything there, so I can’t restrict myself (to Bollywood). I can never sideline it and will always give it equal time. The only deciding criteria is the subject not the language. I am always taking the South market seriously.”
Having worked with top actors down South, she owes her success to them.
“Maine kaam kar-kar ki hi sikha hai. I have worked with superstars Mahesh Babu, Mohanlal, Jr NTR and Ajith. They have groomed and helped me learn the craft as I am not a trained actor,” she shares.
On her joining films she says, “I did not set out to become an actor. I was a science student, so I wanted to take up MBBS. I was into classical dance. During my vacation to Mumbai, I gave an audition of Nachle Ve with Saroj Khan (2009) where I was the runners-up and that changed my life. I thought it was television for me, but God had other plans. I got an offer for a Telugu film Lifestyle and since then I have been doing regional films.”
Dixit’s Hindi debut happened with P Se PM Tak (2015). “Kundan Shah (director) sir selected me after 400 auditions, and he trained me for six months. Followed by Hindi films. My next is Girish Malik’s film Band of Maharajas for which Kashmiri musicians, Bickram Ghosh, Navraj Hans, Jasbir Singh Jassi and many others have come together. The film is doing rounds in festival and will probably be released in theatre soon. Besides, Telugu film Narcos, based on drug cartel, which will have a pan-India release.”
The actor adds the sequel to Lal Rang too is also in its writing stage