Nayanthara, at the peak of her career, made the surprising decision to quit films for love, taking a two-year hiatus in 2011. Now happily married to filmmaker Vignesh Shivan, Nayanthara recently opened up about why she chose to step away from her flourishing career at the time, following the advice of her then-partner, Prabhudeva.
Nayanthara talks about taking break from films
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Nayanthara delved into the reasons behind her decision to step away from films in 2011.
She said, “I was in a phase where I believed that I have to compromise if I want love in my life. I was too vulnerable and young.”
“It also contributes to the fact that we have seen so many different relationships in our industry. I am not calling it bad or anything, but it is the way we have seen the industry functioning for a very long time, like second marriages. So at that time, I thought it was okay. The girl in me genuinely thought that if you need love in your life, you need to compromise somewhere. You need to give it your all. If your partner doesn’t like you doing something, you should just sacrifice. This was my understanding of love at that point in time,” the actor added.
Nayanthara acknowledged that the relationship, despite being the most challenging phase of her life, ultimately brought out the best in her.
She said, “That relationship made me what I am today. If not for that particular relationship, I don’t think I would have found the strength to be what I am today. I wouldn’t be able to understand what I am capable of. After that, I was a whole different person altogether.”
She revealed that while she had agreed to quit films permanently, filming her final scenes for what was meant to be her last movie, Sri Rama Rajyam, left an emotional impact on her.
“I understood this is not just a profession, it is not anymore about the money or fame, but it is something that has become a part of me and I am born to do this. It was at this moment that I figured that I can’t stay away from films.”
Despite the emotional toll, Nayanthara stepped away from films in 2011. However, when her relationship did not unfold as she had hoped, she made a powerful comeback in 2013 with Nagarjuna’s ‘Greeku Veerudu’.
About Nayanthara
Nayanthara first crossed paths with Vignesh Shivan on the sets of ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’, a film he wrote and directed, with Dhanush as the producer. Their love story began during the shoot and blossomed over the years. After dating for more than eight years, the couple tied the knot in June 2022. Recently, they released a documentary that delves into their love story, Nayanthara’s illustrious career, and her journey through past relationships.