Last year, she was part of two crowd-favourite films. While GOAT gave her the opportunity to work with a superstar, Lucky Bhaskar gave her the role of a lifetime. Grateful for it all, Meenakshi walks into a room and owns it, not just with her presence but also with her words.
She talks about her childhood with a glimmer and pride in her eyes. “I’ve had a very colourful childhood because my Dad was in the Army. We changed schools and cities every two years. I would make friends wherever I went. So, it’s been more or less like a nomadic lifestyle. This has taught me to be a lot more comfortable with who I am and learn more about myself. One more important thing I learnt was to not be too attached but also not to be too detached. These are things I learnt growing up. That’s built the foundation of who I am today.”
The strength to dare to dream came from the unwavering support of her parents. “I dreamed of 3 things when I was growing up, one was to be a doctor, the second was to be Miss India and the third was to be a civil servant. I ticked the first two options, but I couldn’t fulfil my third dream. But I got to be one while acting, in one of the recent films I did. I always told my Dad that I don’t want to be just one thing, I want to be everything. He used to tell me that I could be anything and everything that I wanted to be, as long as I worked hard, and was dedicated and passionate towards what I did. I had very supportive parents and I was encouraged to dream however big I wanted to. And that gave me the confidence to do anything that I put my mind to.”
Acting and movies happened very organically for Meenakshi. “They say, what is meant for you, will come to you. I had the most random story of how I got into the movie industry. It happened in Mumbai when I was taking an acting workshop. During this acting workshop, I came across one person who was my partner for the classes. It was at the end of it I realised that he was an actor in the Telugu film industry. During the workshop, he asked me if I was interested in pursuing this as a career and if I was open to doing films in another language. I said Yes, as long as I got to act, language was no barrier. Fast forward to 6 months later, I got a call saying they liked my audition, and I was so taken aback because I hadn’t sent them any audition tape. So, my acting workshop partner had shown them some of the videos we used to take during the workshop and the director liked it and felt like I was the right fit for this role. That’s how I got to do my first film in the Telugu film industry. I was at the right place at the right time.”
Her friends, philosophers and guides were her parents, “Inspiration comes from home for me, I can’t think of anyone more fitting of that word for me other than my Mom and Dad. My Dad, because of the dedication he had, was the first officially commissioned officer from our village. He sacrificed a lot to give his family the life that we lived and I’m very grateful for that. My Mom didn’t come from a very educated background so she ensured her kids got the best education and made the most of the opportunities that came our way. I am here today because of them both and I am eternally grateful to be their daughter.”
She received a lot of love and appreciation for her role in Lucky Bhaskar. “Dulquer is a gem of a person and I had the best time working on the sets of Lucky Bhaskar. It felt like a family coming together to create something magical. Sumathi is one of my most cherished and special characters because of the love that she received. I am very grateful to have Dulquer as a co-actor because I’ve always looked up to him. Everybody knows him as a great actor but he is also a wonderful human being.”
Did she have any apprehensions about playing a mother at such an early time in her filming career? “Funnily, I never had any doubts about it, but people around me did question me and buzz me saying, “ Are you doing the right thing?” “Are you sure?” “ You are so young and just starting, playing a mother at such an early time in your career.” But I listened to my gut and Thank God! It is probably my most celebrated film. A lesson that I learnt from that was that people are going to say hundreds of things, give suggestions and advise you. At the end of the day, it’s a choice that you have to make, since you have to live with that choice. And imagine if I had listened to them, what would have happened.”
A lesson on finance she learnt from Lucky Bhaskar that she follows in her personal life. “I believe in investing money as money saved is money earned. Coming from a middle-class family, it is ingrained in our minds to save. I am not somebody who overspends on things I don’t need just because society thinks that makes you a successful person. One thing I would tell someone who is in their 20s and is just starting is to invest, even if it’s a small amount. Even if you start small, it goes a long way.”
Working with Vijay was an inspiring event for her, she describes the person behind the star he is. “One thing I learnt from Vijay Sir is the dedication he has towards his craft. I have never seen him be late on sets, he would always be very punctual he was mostly there before time. I am somebody who is very punctual and there would be times when he would be there even before me. It was inspiring to see that no matter how big and successful you become, at the end of the day, the discipline is going to take you places.”
How did she manage to match his exceptional dancing skills? “I do not know how he does it! I would be practising a hundred times in a corner and giving retakes because I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time, especially Vijay Sir’s. He would just come on set, watch the choreographer and perfect it in the first take itself, with that energy. I was really scared because I wanted to match this energy and try not to mess it up. He is truly a gifted and hard-working person, so much to learn from him.”
How do you prioritise your physical and mental health in this demanding industry?
“ It’s quite challenging to maintain your physical and mental health in this field, people mistake our lives for being too glamorous. It’s believed that you have to just look good in front of the camera, but there is so much more that goes behind the scenes. Especially in this age of social media, there is so much that one has to deal with. Mental health is so important but extremely neglected, just because you don’t get to see it doesn’t mean one isn’t going through a tough time. I try to make sure I do my exercises and eat right and most importantly, I try to consume the right kind of content online. What you consume on social media impacts your life daily so that’s something you need to be mindful of.”
What’s on the horizon for Meenakshi in terms of movies this year? “There is a lot of exciting stuff that’s lined up for 2025, some will be announced in the coming months. There is one film that I’m doing with Naveen Polishetty and there are 2 in the pipeline. 2025 has some really exciting scripts and amazing characters for me!”
