Even though Medha Shankr debuted with Beecham House in 2019, it wasn’t until the surprising success of 12th Fail , four years later, that the actor broke through in Bollywood. Her portrayal of UPSC aspirant Shraddha Joshi earned her acclaim, and her girl-next-door image led many to call her the ‘new national crush’. Medha, who is now set to appear in a starkly different role in her upcoming film, Ginny Wedss Sunny 2, talks to Hindustan Times about her journey so far and the urge to find different roles every time.
Shraddha describes Ginny, her character in the romantic comedy, as a sweet, honest girl who is also impatient. “I related to all these aspects a lot,” says the actor.
But Medha clarifies that the reluctance to repeat the type of character was not due to any fear of typecasting, but simply because of a desire to challenge herself. “If I do something similar, which I know people want to see, it will be easy. It will be a cakewalk. Then where’s the fun, where’s the challenge,” she says.
Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, 12th Fail told the story of real IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma (played by Vikrant Massey). Medha played his love interest (and later wife), Shraddha, an IRS officer herself. The film, made on a paltry ₹ 20 crore budget, earned ₹ 70 crore worldwide.
