Nidhhi Agerwal and Pawan Kalyan in the film
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“2025 feels like the year of resurgence,” Nidhhi Agerwal says in the course of the interview. “Imagine this is the second half of a film. The protagonist who has been bruised and beaten in the first half is ready to reclaim her position.” Her statements are not misplaced. She will soon be seen in Hari Hara Veera Mallu, the Telugu historical fiction drama headlined by Pawan Kalyan and directed by Krish Jagarlamudi and A M Jyothi Krishna. The film has been in the making for five years and a contract barred her from signing new projects. Eventually, she sought permission and signed The Raja Saab, a horror rom-com starring Prabhas and directed by Maruthi. It has been a long wait for the actor so see her work on screen.
The last leg of shooting for Hari Hara Veera Mallu, scheduled to release on May 9, is underway and Nidhhi does not hold back. “It was not easy. There were days I wondered if I had made the right decision. I turned to prayers, meditation, affirmations and journalling to keep my spirits up and look at the bigger picture. I believe that the universe has a plan. Even if I am not bothered about whether the audience will forget me, when those around me air such thoughts, it can alter the balance.” Reflecting, she adds, “I then remind myself that I am living my dream. As a child, I always wanted to be an actor. Everything else is a bonus; these unexpected delays are part of the journey.”
The pandemic altered the shooting schedule and later, Pawan Kalyan got busy with his political campaigning. The film’s shooting got delayed as he took on responsibilities as deputy chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. Nidhhi takes it in her stride, “I was different as a person and as an actor when I began the film. With the experience I have gained, I have become better at portraying emotions.”
Pageant route to cinema
Born in Hyderabad and growing up in Bengaluru, Nidhhi took the modelling route while studying at Christ University to enter cinema. “I took inspiration from Aishwarya Rai, Sushmita Sen and Priyanka Chopra and participated in a beauty pageant before I got the opportunity for my first film.”
In Telugu, she has films such as Munna Michael, Mr Majnu and Ismart Shankar to her credit. When Krish Jagarlamudi narrated the story of Hari Hara Veera Mallu, it was different from the work she had done before. “Krish sir is knowledgeable and has great clarity on the characters,” Nidhhi says, referring to his period dramas such as Kanche and Gautamiputra Satakarni. She recalls being “bowled over” by his story narration. “I prefer narration to reading a script; it gives me an idea of the director’s vision.”
Hari Hara Veera Mallu is described as an outlaw during the Mughal era in the 17th century. Nidhhi says the period action drama, while drawing from history, also takes creative liberties. “My character, Panchami, is fictional. So I relied on the brief given to me.”
Nidhhi Agerwal
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Horse riding was part of her training regimen. A trained Kathak and ballet dancer, she also learnt Bharatanatyam for a sequence. Nidhhi does not give away more, but cites the Baahubali films as a reference point. “When I stepped into the huge sets, wearing regal costumes and 35 kilograms of jewellery, I felt like a queen.”
Though this was her first larger-than-life film, Nidhhi says she was more excited than nervous. “Speaking on stage at audio release functions scares me more than film shootings,” she says with a laugh. “On the first day we began filming for the song ‘Kollagottinadhiro’. I felt like Alice in Wonderland; it was magical to start working on this big film.”
Dual schedules
The experience of Hari Hara Veera Mallu and then The Raja Saab, Nidhhi explains, gave her insights into life and career management. “I think I would know how to handle tough situations in future.” For about 10 days, she travelled between Hyderabad and Vijayawada, juggling schedules of both the films, catching up on sleep during travel. The adrenaline rush kept her going, and exhaustion crept in as she completed her work. She believes that the result will be worth all the effort. “I cannot reveal much but I can vouch that The Raja Saab will be an extraordinary film. It will present me in a different zone.”
Ask her how she broke the ice with both Pawan Kalyan and Prabhas on sets, considering that there were no script reading sessions or workshops, and Nidhhi says, “I have realised that the bigger the stars, humbler they are. They are aware of how their presence can make others feel intimidated. They go out of their way to make their co-stars comfortable.”
Nidhhi is confident that this year will mark the second phase in her career. “I cannot wait for the audience to see my work. I have also signed on something exciting, which will be announced soon.”
Published – April 16, 2025 03:26 pm IST