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Pragya Jaiswal Discusses Age Gap with Balakrishna: "It Doesn't Matter"
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Pragya Jaiswal kicked off the year in style! She celebrated her birthday on January 12, which also happened to be the release date of her latest film, Daaku Maharaaj. The movie made quite an impact, even with tough competition from Game Changer and Sankranthiki Vasthunam. In a chat with Hindustan Times, she shared her thoughts on her role, her second collaboration with Nandamuri Balakrishna, the age difference between them, and what’s coming up next for her.
Starting the year off with a blast
Pragya is definitely riding the wave of success from Daaku Maharaaj, which raked in over ₹120 crore globally, as reported by Sacnilk. When we chat, she shares, “This year kicked off on such a high note for me, and I couldn’t be happier. Daaku Maharaaj was released during Sankranthi, right around my birthday, and ever since, I’ve been soaking up all the love for the film, especially for my character Kaveri.”
Pragya takes on the role of an engineer-turned-daaku in the film, and she shares that it’s a totally new experience for her. “Nobody ever pictured me as a daaku, and now folks are calling me daaku maharaani,” she says with a smile. “Kaveri is super accomplished, de-glam, with her hair tied back… it was a whole different challenge for me. She’s so unlike anything I’ve done before that I was a bit anxious about how audiences would react when the film came out. But now I’m relieved and feel good about my decision.”
When I ask her what drew her to this role, she dives deeper. “Playing a pregnant character who also kicks butt was a first for me. I’ve never been a mom, so imagining that experience was really empowering,” Pragya explains. “There’s a moment in the film where Kaveri has to protect her unborn child while fighting for a cause. She’s both fierce and selfless, which really highlights the strength of women, and I loved bringing that to life.”
Collaborating with Balakrishna on two occasions
Balakrishna’s Sitaram takes the crown as the Daaku Maharaaj in this story, while Pragya’s Kaveri is the daaku maharaani. This marks the second time these two actors have teamed up since their successful collaboration in Boyapati Srinu’s 2021 film Akhanda. When I mention Balakrishna, Pragya can’t help but express her excitement, calling him ‘pure joy’ and ‘positivity.’ She shares, “Working with a legend like him is a learning experience. He can easily switch his energy on and off between takes. He’s genuine, respectful, treats everyone equally, and is just an all-around great person. Plus, he’s super collaborative as a co-star.”
Balakrishna is nearly thirty years older than Pragya, and that's a fact. If you ask her about the usual age difference between male stars and their female co-stars, she won't hold back. “I really think casting should depend on how well a role is written and whether the actor can bring it to life… if it looks good on screen. So, why should the age difference matter? While filming Akhanda, we did think about how it would come across. But it turned out great; as long as the audience buys into the idea of them being a couple and the story is told right, I don’t see any issue,” she explains.
Pragya's next project
Pragya had a pretty exciting 2024 as she made her Bollywood debut with Khel Khel Mein. She mentions that while Titoo MBA from 2014 was technically a Punjabi film, Khel Khel Mein was the perfect way to kick off her career in Hindi cinema. “It was such a fun movie, and I loved playing a character that had an equal role alongside amazing actors like Akshay Kumar and Taapsee Pannu. The love from the audience just keeps growing every day,” she shares.
Looking ahead, Pragya is eager to collaborate with stars like Allu Arjun, Mahesh Babu, Salman Khan, and Ranbir Kapoor. “For now, I just want to be involved in great stories and play fulfilling roles that entertain people. I have a few projects in the pipeline that I can’t talk about yet, but I’m really excited about Tyson Naidu in Telugu,” she concludes.
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