Finding it difficult to break into Bollywood: Saala Khadoos’ actor Ritika Singh

Mumbai, Mar 2 (PTI) Actor Ritika Singh, best known for her role in “Saala Khadoos”, says she feels blessed to have a career in the south film industry, but she is finding it difficult to get a breakthrough in Bollywood.

The actor shot to fame with her lead role in her 2016 Hindi movie debut “Saala Khadoos”, co-starring R Madhavan as her boxing coach. Singh won a Special Mention at the 63rd National Film Awards for her performance in the Tamil version of the movie, titled “Irudhi Suttru”.

She later appeared in a few Tamil language movies such as “Aandavan Kattalai”, “Oh My Kadavule” both starring Vijay Sethupathi, and in Telugu titles alongside Taapsee Pannu in “Neevevaro” and “Guru”, the remake version of “Saala Khadoos”, along with Venkatesh.

Singh, who is returning to Hindi films after seven years with “InCar”, said it is not easy to make a mark in the industry.

“Although, I am a Hindi girl from Mumbai, it is a bit difficult to find the right connection, people, and manager. It is a big game,” the 28-year-old actor told PTI in an interview here.

“I am not saying they make it difficult but as an outsider it is difficult to approach people. You think, What will he think of me, if I say I want to work with you?’ or ‘How do I say, Hi’?” she said.

The actor is happy about making inroads in the South that she said welcomed her with open arms after her debut film was released.

“My film, Saala Khadoos’ released in two languages, in Tamil and in Hindi at the same time and I was so surprised to see the reception that I got in Tamil cinema. They accept me to this day, for what I am.

“I am a tomboy, raw, real person and they love me for that. I will forever be grateful to them because I act in a language that I do not speak so that helps me to become a better actor.”

Language is no barrier for her, said Singh, adding what matters to her is the script and the team.

“I am willing to act in all languages as long as I get a good script and a good team. I am waiting for that to happen in Hindi and I will take it more seriously now, I hope everything works out. I am very happy where I am in any industry that I work in,” she added.

Singh is awaiting the release of “InCar”, which is scheduled to release in theatres on Friday in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.

Directed by first-time director Harsh Warrdhan, the film is set in a moving car on a national highway in Haryana.

The thriller depicts the survival journey of a kidnapped college woman called Sakshi Gulati (Singh), who is abducted by three men in broad daylight.

The actor said she was drawn to the director’s vision and treatment of the story.

“It is very rare to come across men who feel so passionately about what women go through on a daily basis.”

A subject like this allowed Singh, a trained Mixed Martial Artist (MMA), to sink her teeth into the character and be as authentic as possible, she said.

“I did not prepare much for this, I reacted as a woman would in that situation, it just came naturally,” she added.

Warrdhan said through “InCar” he wanted to explore both the mindset of a woman and a man before the unfortunate incident.

“I wanted to explore what happens to her before the headline happens. Also, explore why the male characters kidnap a girl from a bus stop in the daylight and on the other side, what a girl goes through.

“We deliberately decided to not give her any background, like whether she was well educated or not, from middle class or upper class. I wanted to show how a girl tries to escape,” he said.

For the director, the most difficult thing was to get clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The film was earlier titled ‘#MeToo’.

Warrdhan said initially it was titled Loot’ but the team felt it was a little harsh and later changed it to “#MeToo”, a title that he had registered following the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein that came to light in October 2017.

“At that time, it (movement) was at its peak in India. I thought people would accuse me of riding on popularity but everyone said #MeToo just doesn’t apply to office harassment, it happens on the streets. So, we went ahead.

“After the film was edited, it went to censors and they took objection to the title. They said this doesn’t apply to this kind of a story… They didn’t allow it so we changed it,” the filmmaker added.

“InCar” also stars Manish Jhanjholia, Sandeep Goyat, Sunil Soni, and Gyan Prakash in pivotal roles. The film is produced by Sajid Qureshi and presented by Inbox Pictures.