'Telugu Film Industry Has Tendency To Focus On Outsiders': Actress Eesha Rebba

Eesha Rebba has had a flourishing career as an actress in almost all South Indian film industries. In a recent interview with ETimes, she said that the language or the region does not matter to her but it is the roles that are the driving force. Balancing OTT projects along with theatrical films, she added that although she does not discriminate between the two while picking roles, she believes that a phone screen does not equate with a full-blown theatrical experience. She acknowledged that OTT has a wider reach, though.

While comparing her experience working in different industries, she highlighted a distinguishing feature in the Telugu film industry as compared to other Southern industries. She has said that Telugu-speaking actresses are not getting enough roles in Telugu films as the industry has a tendency to focus on outsiders. She said that in the Tamil and Malayalam industries, artists who speak the native language are preferred and adored.

“Why not cast someone who speaks the language, because the audience never requests that the creators use a non-native actor or actress? I’m not just talking about the female lead, though. Why should Telugu films cast actors who are unable to speak the language,” she argued.

Eesha believes that advertising and business are perhaps less important now. “If you are filming a pan-India film and require recognisable faces, the situation is different. I believe that the justification is invalid because weekends are when films tend to perform at their best. Younger directors appear to recognise the value of actors being in close proximity to the audience,” she added.

Eesha Rebba plays a social media influencer in her upcoming Telugu film Mama Mascheendra and a sub-inspector in her upcoming Tamil film, which she revealed is a dream come true for an actor who does not want to be typecast in fixed roles.