Play'ful damsel: Samyukta Hornad ready with her latest film

Curly tresses, expressive eyes and a spunky personality —Samyukta Hornad is a combination of beauty and brains. Meet the 24-year-old actor, who’s thrilled about her next film Jigarthanda, which is an official remake of the Tamil original.

“I play a poor village girl who wants to know everything about city life. She’s not a very nice girl as she steals sarees and sells them to make money! Every time someone comes from Bengaluru, she gets very excited. When this particular filmmaker from the city visits her town, she gets very curious about him,” shares Samyukta.

Even though the film has commercial elements, the actress maintains that the flick is very raw and realistic. “The dialogue is exactly like how people talk in real life. The movie isn’t over the top and neither does it boast of exotic locations. It is funny, and has an entertaining mass effect, but is also very real,” says the actress, who has seen the original film only in bits and parts. “The Tamil version had its own ethnic elements while I had to bring out the Kannadiga in me and present the scene with a different attitude,” she says.

Interestingly, all the movies that Samyukta shot for last year, are releasing this year. “I’ve done a film called Mari Kondavaru, which won the second best film at the Karnataka state awards. I play Lakshmi in both my films. But the two roles have contrasting personalities. The one in Mari Kondavaru is timid, shy and doesn’t talk at all whereas the one in Jigarthanda is mad and talkative. I’ve also done a film called MatthomeShh which will see me riding horses and jumping off cliffs.  I did my own stunts in the film,” says the artiste, who has also signed a movie called Kannadakaagi Ondhannu Otthi.

When not shooting for her films, Samyukta is exploring her acting abilities by doing theatre. She’s a regular visitor to Mumbai, where she is part of many a play ensemble. Ask her if she has any dream role she wants to essay and she replies, “I’m a very ambitious girl. I want to do a movie like Black Swan which shows two very different sides to a personality. I’m content with any role as long
as it’s something that I believe in.”