Veera Simha Reddy is a dream debut for me in Telugu: Honey Rose Varghese

Honey Rose is away for a shoot. She is excited to know the response the film received on the opening day. She recollects the day she got a call from director Gopichand.

“I thought it was some prank call. But after a while, I called cinematographer Sujith Vasudevan to check if it was a genuine person. He answered in the affirmative and I was thrilled,” she told South First.

The actor couldn’t believe her ears when she learnt that Balakrishna was the hero and she would be playing the lead.

Honey Rose with Balakrishna in ‘Veera Simha Reddy’. (IamDhwani/Facebook)

“The role had many nuances. Initially, I found it challenging. But later, everything felt easy. Be it the hero or the director or the team, they all did their bit to make me familiar with the Rayalaseema accent. It is a dream debut for me,” said Honey, with a hint of excitement.

A native of Thodupuzha in Kerala, Honey Rose is the only child of her parents. After her studies, when she expressed her desire to pursue a career in cinema, her family encouraged and supported her.

On Veera Simha Reddy

She concurs that the time is right for her to take a plunge into Telugu cinema; not just because the Telugu film industry is going through a golden phase but because her debut project is produced by the ones who bankrolled Pushpa and Rangasthalam.

When asked if she had no qualms working in a commercial cinema, she replies with candour. “Back in Kerala, the audiences are used to watching realistic stories. There is a small percentage who go to see commercial films. But, these days, people are waiting for movies to be streamed on OTT platforms.”

Related: Veera Simha Reddy is an out-and-out formulaic mass entertainer

“Because of their roots and cultural affiliations, Keralites don’t appreciate such cinema much. But they do enjoy and like the entertainment quotient that the mass action Telugu films offer,” she explained.

‘A time well spent’

Honey Rose says, she spent more than 20 days in Istanbul where a major part of Veera Simha Reddy was shot. “I purchased a lot — from clothes to cosmetics — in Istanbul. Well, as an actor, I need to sport varied looks at events and family functions.”

Actor Honey Rose. (IamDhwani/Facebook)

“However, I had a tough time understanding the language. People only speak Turkish in Istanbul. They do speak basic English, though. When I showed my Instagram account to a few people at the stores, they were surprised at the number of followers I had back in India,” she smiled.

Honey Rose didn’t have many combination scenes with Varalaxmi Sarathkumar but the duo made the best of the time while in Istanbul.

The actor wants to learn Telugu by the time she bags her next project. “I would run to the monitor after every shot to see how I performed. Those around would be amused at my act. For now, I am working on my Telugu and want to give my best in future ventures,” she signed off.