"I wasn’t offered any script in so many years."
Jyothika gave her thoughts on Hindi cinema and she feels it is “formula-based”.
The actress debuted in Hindi cinema – commonly known as ‘Bollywood’ – with Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1998).
However, that film was a box office disappointment, leading Jyothika to explore South Indian film industries.
She created a bigger and better name for herself in Tamil and Telegu films.
Admitting her struggle to gain a footing in Bollywood, the star said:
“I didn’t receive an offer for Hindi films even once.
“I drifted into South films 27 years ago and have only worked in South films ever since.
“My first Hindi film didn’t run well in theatres. It’s all very formula-based.
“Your first film needs to run for you to get more offers.
“When I started my career, there was an entire bandwagon of girls working with big production houses. Even my film was produced by a big banner, but as fate would have it, it didn’t run.
“Luckily, I had signed a south film and diverted from Bollywood.
“I would also like to bring it to notice that even that film didn’t work at the box office.
“But I got a lot of films based on how my performance in it was received.
“That stark difference between both industries was definitely there.
“People in Bollywood also thought that I was a South Indian, and they assumed that I didn’t want to do Hindi films anymore.
“It was a journey, and I’m still grateful for it. I did some fabulous work there.
“It’s not like I refrained from doing a Hindi film.
“It’s just that I wasn’t offered any script in so many years.”
Around the time of her Hindi film debut, Jyothika faced competition from other new Bollywood actresses.
These included Preity Zinta, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Ameesha Patel.
Jyothika recently made a massive comeback to Bollywood with Shaitaan (2024).
In Vikas Bahl’s supernatural horror film, she played the role of Jyoti Rishi.
Jyoti is a mother who is tormented by the hypnotic treatment of her daughter Janhvi Rishi (Janki Bodiwala) at the hands of Vanaraj Kashyap (R Madhavan).
For her performance, Jyothika earned widespread acclaim.
Saibal Chatterjee gave the film a critical review but praised the actress.
He said: “Jyothika is the only one in the cast who is able to rise a bit above the sheer absurdity of the proceedings.”
Jyothika was last seen in Srikanth (2024).
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