Leading South Indian actress Samantha's first big film of 2023 is the Telugu mythological drama, Shaakuntalam, which is coming out as a pan-Indian release in Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam languages as well. Scheduled to open in cinemas worldwide on April 14, promotions for the upcoming 3D film directed by Gunasekhar under Neelima Guna's Gunaa Teamworks banner are in full swing, with the team now sitting down for an interview to share their shooting experiences. Samantha revealed that she felt nervous while shooting for Shaakuntalam, which was similar to when she shot her first Telugu film, Ye Maaya Chesave (remake of Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa).
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Recalling how she used to feel tense during the time of her acting debut, Samantha said, "While shooting for Shaakuntalam, I got reminded about the time when I shot for my first Telugu film, Ye Maaya Chesave. I used to shiver. I had big dialogues in that film. My whole body will be shaking because I was so afraid and it used to be only two people. But here, it's a palace setting, junior artistes and pages of dialogues." Speaking further about her approach to playing her role in Shaakuntalam, Samantha explained that she followed the film's director Gunasekhar's exact interpretation and portrayed how he imagined the character to be. She said, "I did not do any other references and I finally understand now why. Because he wanted it to appeal to everyone."
Director Gunasekhar showered praises on Samantha's performance during a boat song in Shaakuntalam and revealed that he was surprised at her ability to pull off her performance effortlessly. Despite not being trained in classical dance, the actress revealed that she undertook a few classes to learn how to walk, pose, run, and also maintain a certain style in the way her hands move. Samantha said, "The body needs to match the emotion, grace, and the poise. Those classes came in handy. It ended up being an integral part of the character and the characterization."
Watch Samantha talk about her experience in Shaakuntalam below:
