Go big (screen) or go home

Akansha Ranjan Kapoor

With MaayaOne, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor is ticking two boxes off her list - of foraying into Tamil cinema, and featuring in a theatrical offering. She couldn't have chosen a better time to dabble in south films. In the past few years, they have caught the country's attention. But Kapoor says venturing down south had been on her mind for a long time. "Before I even got the offer for Guilty (2020), I was trying to get into the south. Aishwarya [Rai Bachchan] and so many women started their careers there. Now, south films have become bigger and pan-India [offerings]. It will widen my horizon 10-fold," says the actor, who features opposite Sundeep Kishan in the movie. Having wrapped up the first schedule, Kapoor is impressed by the industry's disciplined approach.

MaayaOne marks her first theatrical release after a string of OTT projects, including Ray (2021) and Monica O My Darling (2022). She is naturally eager to see herself on the big screen. "I remember when my friends had releases on Friday, I'd think, thank God, I don't have the pressure. But now I am ready. It has been three years [since my debut] and now is the right time as theatres are buzzing. Also, there is less pressure as MaayaOne is a multilingual film and will release to a wider audience."