Shanvi Srivastava: I’m not in the zone to play heroine in typical commercial films

It’s been a year since Shanvi Srivastava was last seen onscreen in Kannada cinema. She has a film ready for release and another set to take off soon. “But when people ask my why I am not doing films there, my counter question is to tell me about the films that are being made now that I could be a part of and then they have no answer,” says Shanvi, who is just back from an exhilarating 12-day holiday to France and rearing to get back to work.

See glimpses from Shanvi's France holiday 

“I have an as-yet-untitled film with director Nagathihalli Chandrashekar in which I am paired with Pruthvi Ambar and Nirup Bhandari. It’s a good role and sees me play a collegian as well as a more matured person. Sometimes you come across a certain script or a role that you just cannot say no to and would regret if you didn’t do it. This was one of those,” she explains, adding, “I am not in the zone to play a stereotypical heroine in a commercial film. I’ve not been in that zone for a while and don’t want to go back. I’d rather do roles that give me creative satisfaction.”

One such is her role in the upcoming Kannada film Baang, which Shanvi says should be in theatres sometime in June this year. The film, a dark comedy in which she plays a gangster called Leona, who has an axe to grind with her father, played by Raghu Dixit. “This is the kind of role that I was initially doubtful about carrying off, but then willed myself to make it happen. Also, I needed to satisfy the actor in me and that’s how I took up Baang,” says Shanvi, adding that the team is in the process of finalizing post-theatrical streaming rights. “I am hoping that the release plans firm up soon, because I will have to leave to the USA for a long schedule of Nagathihalli sir’s film,” she says.

This apart, Shanvi is also looking forward to her Marathi cinema debut, which, as it turns out, is with the remake of the Kannada film Ugramm. Called Raanti, the film pairs her with Sharad Kelkar. “I play Hariprriya’s role from the original, which has been changed a bit. I have some work pending on this as well,” she says. What about her film Trishulam? “That’s the Om Prakash Rao film with Upendra and Ravichandran sir and has been stalled for more than three days. At this point, I don’t know if it should and will be revived,” she signs off.