Jul 10, 2026 8:48pm IST
Kayadu Lohar: ‘Working Across Industries Was Never A Strategy’ (EXCLUSIVE)
She has acted in films across languages but actor Kayadu Lohar felt an instant connect with her character Amudha in “Idhayam Mural i.” She already has “I’m Game,” with Dulquer Salmaan up for release in August. The actress chats with Variety India about her tryst with Marathi cinema, her breakthrough moment with “Dragon” and the challenges of being an outsider in the industry
What drew you to Amudha, your character in ‘Idhayam Murali’?
Amudha doesn’t express herself much, but she’s probably the one who understands everyone around her the best. What I love about her is the way she values every relationship. Whether it’s her friendships, her love or the bond she shares with her father, she holds everything close to her heart. Her strength comes from her kindness, not from being loud. I think I connected with her instantly because there are little parts of me in her.
What about your debut in the Kannada film, ‘Mugilpete’?
I was simply looking for the right opportunity to begin my journey as an actor. “Mugilpete” felt like the right start. It was a commercial film with a great team and the character had enough for me to perform and learn from. As a newcomer, that’s all I was looking for.
Related Stories
In 2022, you made your Malayalam and Telugu debuts. What did you learn from those early losses?
In the beginning, every film feels very personal. So when a film doesn’t work, you naturally question yourself and wonder if you’re making the right choices. But those experiences taught me something very important: success and failure are never completely in your control. What is, is how honestly you prepare, how much you learn and what you bring to the character every single day. I learned a lot on those sets both as an actor and as a person. The biggest takeaway was that sincere work never goes unnoticed. People appreciated my performances and those films eventually opened doors for the opportunities that came later. Looking back, I don’t see them as failures, I see them as an important part of my journey.
You even ventured into Marathi cinema with ‘Prem U.’ How many of these languages do you speak and was there a plan behind venturing into multiple industries?
‘Prem U’ was actually my first film as an actor, so it’ll always be very special to me. It was my first experience of being on a film set facing the camera and understanding filmmaking. That team also introduced me to world cinema and that’s where I truly understood that stories don’t have a language. That really shaped the way I look at films, so working across industries was never a strategy. I’ve always chosen stories and characters that excite me. For me, it’s always been about the cinema, not the language.
You are working with Dulquer Salmaan in the upcoming ‘I’m Game.’ What was that experience like?
He’s one of the most humble, grounded and warm people I’ve worked with. He made everyone on set feel comfortable. Dulquer was incredibly friendly, easy to talk to and we had a lot of fun between shots. My schedule was quite scattered. I would come in for a day or two to shoot and then leave. Even in that short time, it was a wonderful experience. He’s a complete gentleman. I genuinely enjoyed working with him.
Your massive breakthrough moment happened with your Tamil debut “Dragon” last year. Describe the feeling.
It was surreal and it took me a while to process. More than the success, what meant the most was the acceptance. People embraced me with much love and they started recognizing me for my work. That’s something I’ll always be grateful for. People often call it an overnight success but it never really is. It’s years of hard work, auditions, self-doubt and not giving up. “Dragon” was the moment when all of that finally came together.
How do you cope with requests for costumes or scenes that make you uncomfortable at work?
I’ve become much more confident about communicating my boundaries. It’s all about honest conversations. If there’s a costume or a scene I’m uncomfortable with, I discuss it openly with the director and the team. I believe every actor has personal boundaries and those should be respected. At the same time, clarity helps everyone. It creates trust, makes the actor feel safe and ultimately, leads to better work and a better film. It’s important to stand by your boundaries and make sure your concerns are heard.
What are the challenges of being an outsider in the film industry?
I can only speak from experience. I haven’t faced any bias because I’m an outsider. In the industries I’ve worked in, I’ve felt that what matters the most is if you’re right for the character and can do justice to the role. Of course, recommendations do exist; it doesn’t matter if you’re an insider or outsider. People naturally recommend those they know and trust. That might get someone through the first door but whether they stay or not, ultimately depends on their talent and their work. I’ve always focused on letting my work speak for itself.
Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.