With the advent of millennial actresses and their roles as glamorous additions to movies (read: not all, many though), the need for meaningful women-oriented roles is higher than ever. Anushka Shetty’s role as ‘Devasena’ in ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’ has been widely received with rave reviews. No doubt she’s one of the best actresses in Tollywood among the recent stars. She has slowly yet steadily proven that she’s not one of the ‘talent-less stars’ who can not pull off a movie on her shoulders. Anushka is still remembered for her power-packed role as ‘Jejamma’ in Arundhati.
As the royal warrior princess in ‘Baahubali’, ‘Rudrama Devi’ and ‘Arundhati’, Anushka is probably the first choice to play a regal role. Her career graph has not always been about being a strong and powerful woman. Anushka also had to play the role of a ‘glam doll’ (we hate using this word) in many Tollywood movies with little or forgetful roles. One could notice that she could carry a movie on her shoulders through all the different roles she has portrayed.
Not many know that she was first widely recognized as ‘Neeraja’ in SS Rajamouli’s ‘Vikramarkudu’. Though the movie’s lead actor was Ravi Teja, who was on the peak of his career, Anushka stood out in a simple yet striking role. Once again, it’s a proven fact that a filmmaker can bring the best out of an actor.
A look at her previous movies will tell you that the ‘Baahubali’ actress is redefining an actress’ role in Tollywood cinema. Her recent movie ‘Size Zero’ bombed at the box office, however, the actress had to go through drastic changes in terms of her weight, exhibiting dedication.
For over a decade now many critics have written about how beautiful she is and how glamorous she looks in a movie. Seldom have people spoken about how she’s playing the kind of roles which will help carve a better future onscreen for the GenNext.
By Deepa Kalukuri
