Ahead of the release of her upcoming film Shaakuntalam, actor Samantha, in an interview given to anchor Suma, spoke about the movie, her transformation into the titular character Shakuntala, costumes, working with Allu Arjun’s daughter Arha, and much more.
Shaakuntalam is a period drama adapted from Kalidasa’s classic Abhignana Shaakuntalam. Filmmaker Guna Shekar, who is known for his diverse filmmaking and grand sets, directed the film, while his daughter Guna Neelima is one of the producers, along with Sri Venkateswara Productions.
In the interview, Samantha said that Disney films are her go-to films. “If I am happy, I watch Disney. If I am sad too, I watch Disney. Shaakuntalam is the closest to an Indian Disney film. Hence, this opportunity is special for me,” said Samantha. The forest-set, animals, and the post-production work looks similar to a Disney film.
Samantha further added that everyone who worked on the film has given their 100%, including the cast and the crew. She said that she is happy about it.
Samantha further added that even though the Shaakuntalam story is centuries old, she connects to it as a contemporary woman because some emotions are timeless.
Actor Allu Arjun’s daughter Allu Arha makes her debut in the film, playing the role of Bharata. Calling her “a born superstar,” Samantha said that Arha was fearless and speaks Telugu proficiently. “Even in the middle of so many junior artists, Arha was fearless and delivered her dialogues well,” Samantha recollected.
Samantha revealed many more interesting facts about the film and the experience of shooting it in the interview.