Tollywood is a place where fans love their stars like no other and hence, it is hardly a surprise that after everything is said and done, stars love to come back to Tollywood. Similar is the case with Flora Saini who had surely shaken many up with her performance in Narasimha Naidu. Fondly known as Lux Papa among her fans, she had caught so much attention that she got a call from Bollywood in the recent release called Begum Jaan alongside Begum Jaan.
How did she get noticed?
Saini gave a memorable performance in Dhanak, which was doing rounds in film festivals. Srijit Mukherji, director of Begum Jaan, spotted her during a film festival screening of the film and decided to cast her immediately. She took the audition and was selected naturally for one of the side roles. In the film, there are women from various states who work in brothel and she has been given the role of a tribal woman from Gujarat.
The experience in Begum Jaan
Saini describes the experience as enriching and thrilling as sharing screen with Vidya was another feather in the cap for her after working with names like Rajinikanth, Karthik, Venkatesh etc. The film is apparently a remake of the Bengali film Rajkahani directed by the same person. Flora pointed out that the film was not just about shooting. Rather, they had to visit brothels to understand the lifestyle and their way of talking, moving etc. They also spent a good time watching films on brothels to understand the space better.
Hoping for a return
Her earnest performance in Begum Jaan, according to her, can be the beginning of a return to Tollywood because she is hoping to catch attention of Tollywood directors once again. She is currently doing some web series so she is definitely not sitting idle. Even then, her longing for coming back only hints at how she misses Tollywood. She was all praise about Tollywood when she hailed the punctuality of the directors. She pointed out that her Telugu-speaking ability also gives her an advantage.
Her recent releases like Maid in India and A.I.SHA- my virtual girlfriend have not been able to satiate her desire to dazzle the screen once again in South India. Now, one needs to see whether the directors pay heed to Flora and her efforts or she has to continue looking for better opportunities elsewhere.