Tamil cinema is the right place to find meaningful roles: Nidhhi Agerwal

The actress says entering the industry without connections meant she couldn't always afford to be choosy. With just three Tamil films to her credit — Eeswaran, Bhoomi and Kalaga Thalaivan — Nidhhi Agerwal says she's in no rush to add to that list. In a chat with Chennai Times during an event at Nandambakkam, she talks about becoming more selective, her fondness for Chennai and why she's now keen to move beyond mainstream commercial cinema.'I've never been in a hurry — even for marriage'Nidhhi has been away from Tamil cinema since Kalaga Thalaivan (2022). "It's been a while since I've done a Tamil film," she admits and adds, "But I want to do the right one. I've never been in a hurry for anything in my life — even marriage! I'm at a stage where I want to work with good directors on films where I have a meaningful role. Tamil cinema is the right place to find those films. I'm in talks for a couple of projects, but I'm yet to take a call."'Today, the director comes first'The actress says entering the industry without connections meant she couldn't always afford to be choosy. "I wasn't from the industry. I knew nobody and had no godfather or godmother. I always picked the best from whatever came my way. But today, I can afford to be more particular about my characters."For Nidhhi, the filmmaker has become the deciding factor. "The first thing I look at is the director. A script is only as good as the person executing it. From the costumes to the music and the final edit, it's all one person's vision."'I want people to see me perform'After working on star-led spectacles like Hari Hara Veera Mallu and The Raja Saab, she's eager to explore a different creative space. "I'm grateful to have worked with such huge stars. The bigger the star, the easier they are to work with. But now, I want people to see me perform. I'd love to continue doing commercial entertainers, but I also want to explore indie films, festival films and stories that challenge me as an actor."'I do miss speaking Tamil'While she's currently busy with Telugu and Hindi films, Nidhhi admits she misses working in Tamil. "Actors today move across industries, so you don't really feel like you've been away from one region for too long. But having said that, I do miss speaking Tamil."She also says she has learnt not to get emotionally invested once a film is released. "I follow everything till opening day. After that, my work is done. As actors, all we can do is perform and move on to the next project."'I'm too sensitive to put my real self out there'Despite being active in the public eye, Nidhhi says she's naturally guarded. "Even on the worst day of my life, you'll probably see me smiling. Nobody really knows what's going on in my mind. I'm too sensitive to put my real self out there because I don't know if I'd be OK with the judgement."She laughs while describing herself as "the hardest-working and the laziest person". "I'm hardworking when it comes to work, but lazy about everything else. I'd think 10 times before taking a flight for something that's not work. But my schedule is hectic; I've done double shifts and even been in three cities in a single day."'I'd happily audition for the right director'Among her upcoming projects is Mirai, in which her character will appear in the second installment, besides the Hindi psychological thriller The Influencer, adapted from the Korean film Drive.As for dream roles, she says, "I'd love to do a biopic, a period film, sci-fi or an action film. Surprisingly, I'm very good at action.""If it's a director I respect, I don't mind auditioning at all. They've probably only seen me in commercial films and want to know if I fit a certain character," she adds. Give your child the gift of confidence! Claim your exclusive TOI Masterclass spot today!