Triptii Dimri, the talented actress who started with lesser-known films like Poster Boys and Laila Majnu, has seen a meteoric rise in her career, with films like Bulbbul and Qala earning her acclaim. However, it’s Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal that has propelled her to superstardom, earning her the title of ‘National Crush' in India.’
The success of Animal has brought Triptii into the spotlight, not only for her stellar performance but also for the skyrocketing numbers on her Instagram, now exceeding 2 million followers. In a recent interview Triptii shared, “The first day there wasn’t much that was said about me, so I was like, ‘Ok, that happens. I did my best but at least people are liking the film.’ But slowly the tide changed, people started talking and now it hasn’t stopped!”
Amid the buzz, Triptii also acknowledged the tags like ‘New National Crush’ and ‘Bhabhi 2’ given by Ranbir Kapoor’s cousins in the film, saying, “It does flatter me. Numbers are also a validation; it is a very visible form of love, and I am grateful for that. But as an actor, I don’t want to get caught up in that. I know that people are also calling me that, and honestly, it just feels very, very overwhelming.”
Animal marked Triptii's first theatrical release since her 2018 breakout film Laila Majnu, and she expressed in the interview how it felt to be back on the big screen. She emphasised that a big theatrical film like Animal reaches a different, perhaps wider audience, allowing her work to be discovered by newer viewers.
Triptii reflected on her approach to the challenging scene, saying, “It reminded me of what my acting coach had told me, the golden rule: Never judge your character. The characters you are playing, the characters your co-actor is playing, all are human and humans have a good and bad side. An actor must be prepared to play characters across the spectrum of good, bad, and ugly, but if you judge a character’s motivations, thoughts, you won’t be able to play it with honesty. So that’s what I kept in mind.”
Triptii said that she dived into the complexity of her character, Zoya, stating, “I also thought that here was a woman who talks about killing his wife, father, kids, the entire family. If someone tells me that, I will perhaps beat that person! Here, he does ask her to do that (lick his shoe) but also walks away later. He clearly is going through a lot of these (intense thoughts). Later when his cousins ask her what they should do with me, he says ‘Let her go wherever she wants to.'”
Triptii's nuanced approach to her roles and her ability to navigate complex characters make her a standout performer in the industry, promising a bright future ahead.