Talent is not judged by looks anymore: Usha Jadhav

National-award winning actress Usha Jadhav believes that the film industry is changing for good with filmmakers now preferring talent over appearance.
Usha, who garnered praise for playing Veerappan's wife Muthulakshmi in Ram Gopal Varma latest film, says the lines between commercial and art film are blurring.
"After getting the national award, people thought I am an intense actor but that is not true. I am a good dancer and would love to do an item number or lighter roles.
"Hopefully, I would also get such characters because now things are changing. Talent is not judged by your looks anymore. If a person is a good actor, he/she automatically brightens up the screen," Usha told PTI in an interview.

The 28-year-old Marathi actress says the success of recently released film "Sairat" is a best example of how a good story does not need the usual clutches.
"I think with the success of small-budget films including 'Sairat' many perceptions about our Indian film industry is changing. Filmmakers would cast me too in a love story because the leads of the film were ordinary people."

Usha made her showbiz debut with "Traffic Signal" in 2007. Her second film was Deepti Naval's directorial debut "Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Chaar Aane Ki Baarish".
After trying her luck in TV and short films, the actress hit the bull's eye with the role of a mother in Marathi film "Dhag", which won her National award.

Usha says acting was not in her mind when she moved to Mumbai but she was always curious to know the process of filmmaking. Her debut role in "Traffic Signal" happened by chance.
"I moved to Mumbai because I wanted to earn money. I was working in Mahalaxmi, where the famous Mahalaxmi studio is there. So, one day, after my office I went there to see a film shooting. I met a friend, who was a part of Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Traffic Signal'. She suggested that I meet the director."
When asked how she came to be a part of "Veerappan", Usha said she had met Varma in 2013 and he contacted her for the role two years later.

"After two years, he messaged me to meet him. He was ready with the character and her look. He showed me the promo of Kannada film. He knew everything about Muthulakshmi as he had met her and was researching about the subject for last 15 years. It made it easy for me to understand the character emotionally.