By Subhash K. Jha
Mumbai, July 16 (IANS): Two films old actress Kriti Sanon is baffled at stories that she has developed an attitude following the success of her debut Hindi film "Heropanti". She says she hasn't "achieved nothing to be arrogant about".
Could the fact that she has signed a film "Singh Is Bling" with Akshay Kumar have something to do with this?
Kriti defended herself: "How can I throw attitude? I am just two films old, one in Hindi the other in Telugu. Of course, my Hindi film 'Heropanti' has become a much bigger success than anyone ever imagined. But that doesn't mean I've started thinking I've arrived."
"I am just a beginner. The two films so far are baby steps. If I develop an attitude, I'll be finished even before I've started. Besides, if I started misbehaving, my folks would give me a tight slap."
The "change" in attitude, she believes, comes from people's change of expectations.
"If I'm slightly busier now, I am accused of changing. It's sad to be constantly judged for every move you make after your first success. If you wear your hair differently, you have changed."
"If you request for a little time to fulfil a commitment, you're accused of being arrogant. I repeat, I've achieved nothing to be arrogant about," she said.
Kriti says her time between the release of "Heropanti" and the shooting of a second untitled Telugu film was taken up on social networking in Bollywood.
"Unlike star kids whom everyone knows by first name in the movie industry, no one new who I was. Being an outsider, I had to literally introduce myself everywhere. I met individual producers, told them about myself, like any individual job-holder. Luckily, for me, my first producer Sajid Nadiadwala treats both Tiger Shroff and me like his kids. He's very protective."
Kriti has a three-film deal with Nadiadwala.
"But it isn't a binding deal. I'm free to work in outside production."
She is already doing her second Telugu film opposite Naga Chaitanya. Kriti's first Telugu film "1: Nenokkadine" was an average runner.
"Though it starred the the Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu, it was something unexpected for his fans."
As for the resounding success of "Heropanti", Kriti is over the moon.
"While we were shooting we knew we were making a good film. But it was only after the first trailer came out that we realised we were sitting on a potential blockbuster."
Having done two Telugu films, without knowing how to speak a word in that language, Kriti is open to offers from the South.
"But only if something really good comes up. I signed both my Telugu films before the release of 'Heropanti'. Now my priority is a career in Mumbai," she added.