Priya Mani: I wouldn’t say that Yami Gautam and I are best friends, but we are pals. Not yet, that is—exclusive!

Priya Mani, well-known for her engaging roles in the Tamil cinema industry, has made a lasting impression on viewers by showcasing her ability on screen. alongside her diverse acting skills, National Award winner Priya Mani has crossed regional barriers, having shared the screen alongside Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan in “Chennai Express” and “Jawan.”She now plays the lead role in “Article 370,” the highly anticipated political action thriller drama that is scheduled for release on February 23. Offering a window into the fascinating world of “Article 370,” Priya Mani discusses her experiences, the distinctive characteristics of her role, and her dynamic partnership with co-star Yami Gautam in an exclusive interview.

 

What distinguishes “Article 370” from other movies and draws viewers in with its originality?
It was constructed with the proper intentions, to start. And by that, I also mean that there are still a lot of individuals who, when you ask them, will refuse to answer questions about what Article 370 is all about, if they even know what it is, or even if they have ever heard of one. Many people, I’m sure, will remark, “Yes, we have just heard what it is all about,” but they won’t know the exact date or the length of time it took to ensure that this piece was revoked. Because this is a pretty unique story—I mean, the genre hasn’t really seen one like this before. I apologize, but I’m bringing it up in light of the statements made by Aditya Jhamle, AJ, and Aditya Dharsa that it is a political action play. I apologize; this is a political thriller drama. I’m not sure whether drama has been added. However, it’s really the result of a very effective cooperation between the NIA, bureaucrats, and politicians that this occurred on August 5, 2019. We are demonstrating how it occurred and similar things since there has undoubtedly been a lot of study done. We thus put in our best effort and are eager for people to view it on February 23rd, whatever value they may get from the study we have done.

What distinguishes your role and character, and what motivated you to take on this unique position?
I suppose this is my second time portraying a bureaucrat. In one of my previous Telugu films, which came out last year, I had a role as a CM. I’m portraying a PMO officer here, however. And how Rajeshwari Swaminathan, the character, approached this task politically. Rajeshwari also teamed up with Yami’s character, the agent from the NIA, and together they successfully completed the job. The finest part is that not a single life was lost throughout its execution. That, therefore, is the primary method by which this mission was completed. She thus takes a highly political approach to it. She moves the object, and Yami essentially does the same, although she’s also mostly on the ground performing similar tasks. Thus, the way they clasp hands is like to a marriage.

Together, they successfully complete this objective. It also draws inspiration from real-life personalities. And to be honest, I had heard of something like this before, but I had no idea when, how, or whether it was effective. For that reason, I found this to be really fascinating. It was evidently effective, which is why we carried it out. I hadn’t, and I wasn’t sure when I had, but when Aditya Jhamle gave me a detailed explanation of the tale and the screenplay, that’s when I thought, “Well, what do you know?” This is quite intriguing as, despite the fact that Yami is portraying an agent whose persona is inspired by, it is based on a genuine person. Mine too are. I said, “It’s pretty interesting.” I also believe that it will be something different for people because, at the end of the day, we want a lot of people to speak about the movie once it opens on the 23rd.

What strong mental images spring to mind when you think about Jammu and Kashmir?

The first topic we’ll discuss about Jammu and Kashmir, or just Kashmir, for that matter, is tourism. We’ll speak about the location, the Dal Lake, and everything else. Naturally, there was also a lot of stone-throwing and other nearby pastimes that were very well-liked. However, AJ (Aditya Jhambale) and I were sitting together a few days ago, doing interviews, and that’s when even Aditya said, because he’s from Kashmir, that over the last few years, tourism—which is a major industry in the region—has grown to such an extent that it has made it so tranquil. It’s become rather lovely. This is Kashmir, everyone say, even the locals, because of how much tourists, how many people there are, and how much of a peak it is. And hearing that made me extremely pleased. Interesting. Additionally, the crew was able to film in Kashmir—at least part of it—without encountering any issues. And the shoot went very well. We may not have felt as much smoothness if it hadn’t occurred sooner. We could have run into some issues and whatnot. However, everything went so easily because everyone was so cooperative.

How did your visit to Kashmir personally go?

Although I didn’t go there, I had visited Kashmir before. However, I did bring up this argument with AJ and Aditya Dharsa repeatedly: Why weren’t you taking me to Kashmir? I was eager to attend as well. But the main part of the entire thing is that, as a bureaucrat, I play an official in the PMO because my character is not required in Kashmir. In Delhi, we filmed a lot of my segments. That being the case, I was unable to travel and did not get the opportunity to visit Kashmir.
How did the chemistry between you and Yami throughout this collaboration unfold? Discover the dynamic interaction that made your partnership a success.

She is just amazing. She’s one of the best actors working now, in my opinion. Her ability to effortlessly transition into a persona is another quality I adore about her. She thus has little trouble grasping it, and her performance seems so natural to her. And to receive that sensation from her is so pleasant. Additionally, she has been performing movies like “Kaabil,” “Thursday,” and even “Oh My God 2,” in which she had a smaller part than Pankaj Tripathi and Akshay Kumar Jr. However, I believe she made an impression, and I believe the decisions she makes, and she is really meticulous with her script—not only with her own lines, but with everyone else’s as well. She also doesn’t put much effort into her acting; it comes naturally to her. Thus, it amounted to a mutual exchange between us both. I therefore broke up with her feel. She certainly did from mine, I’m sure. Working with her was thus rather simple, and I hope we can continue to cooperate and work together in the future.

Throughout the course of your collaboration on the project, how has your equation with Yami altered or evolved?
It’s a really compromise policy. I’m highly erratic in my behavior. When the shooting is over, I have nothing with me. However, I can see how she settles into the role when we’re on set together. She goes into great detail with the conversation, as I said. She goes over the whole scenario in great detail. As she enters the set, she asks, “Okay, how are we going to do this?” She doesn’t respond, “No, this is what I want to do.” For performers such as us, there’s a great deal of creative flexibility during performances and on screen time. We are thus able to move and say to Yami, “Okay, if I do this, she says, ‘Yeah, yeah, go for it.” Nothing wrong.

And the other way around. She adds, “Maybe this is how I’m thinking, Priya.” This is how it is. Yes, exactly. Not an issue. Following that, we most likely sit down and go over the conversation and scenario. I won’t reveal the meaning of the lengthy speech that was included in the movie. She was asking about it, however I believe everyone should watch it on the 23rd. “How did the scene go?” she asked. Was it worthwhile? And that was rather pleasant. And she has, and it’s been a great joy working with her on the few sequences we have together. I know I say this all the time, but she’s one of the best actors working today.
Are you and Yami friends?
I won’t say we’re best friends, but we are friends. Not yet, that is.