Jyotika recalls leaving Bollywood after debut film with Akshaye Khanna failed: 'Chennai gave me my bread and butter, my family'
ETimes | May 16, 2026 7:39 AM CST
Jyotika has opened up about how the commercial failure of her debut Hindi film changed the course of her life and career, eventually leading her to Chennai and superstardom in South cinema.
Speaking ahead of her upcoming film System alongside Sonakshi Sinha, Jyotika reflected on her Bollywood debut with Doli Saja Ke Rakhna and why she decided to move away from Mumbai after the film did not perform well at the box office.
‘My first Hindi film didn’t do well’Jyotika made her acting debut opposite Akshaye Khanna in Priyadarshan ’s Doli Saja Ke Rakhna in 1998. While she still remembers the film fondly, she admitted that its box office failure pushed her towards the Tamil film industry.
“That’s where I actually went (to Tamil film industry) from Hindi after my first film didn’t do well because of box office numbers,” Jyotika shared with NDTV, adding, “Even though I believe it was a very sweet film.”
The actor said Chennai eventually became much more than just a workplace for her.
‘Chennai gave me my family’Expressing gratitude towards the Tamil film industry, Jyotika credited it for giving her meaningful roles and shaping both her personal and professional life.
“I love Chennai. I think it’s traditional, it has given me my bread and butter, it has given me my family,” she said.
Over the years, Jyotika became one of the most celebrated stars in South cinema, known for taking on performance-driven parts.
“I have played deaf and mute, I have played blind. I have played every character I could have asked for, so that’s like a God’s gift to me,” she added.
‘Now Hindi films are offering layered roles’After spending over two decades away from Bollywood, Jyotika believes Hindi cinema is finally writing stronger and more layered roles for women.
“Today again I felt they are not writing very different roles,” she said while explaining why she had distanced herself from Hindi films earlier.
“Now back to Hindi, I am getting very different kinds of roles to play. And I am getting a very warm welcome because of the South. It’s all so interconnected. I am not seeing a difference as such. Just being at the right place at the right time,” she added.
Jyotika gets nostalgic about MumbaiThe actress also turned emotional while speaking about returning to Mumbai after 26 years and the nostalgia attached to the city where she grew up.
“I love Mumbai, I grew up here. I was born here, I did my schooling here,” Jyotika said.
“Even crossing the street in front of my school is nostalgic for me. Everything about Mumbai I love, the pani puri, the bhel puri, even speaking Hindi, everything that I missed,” she added.
Sonakshi Sinha on choosing stronger female rolesMeanwhile, Sonakshi Sinha also spoke about moving away from purely commercial entertainers like Dabangg and Rowdy Rathore towards more layered characters with greater emotional depth and agency.
Jyotika and Sonakshi will next be seen together in System, directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari. The film is slated to release on Prime Video on May 22.
Speaking ahead of her upcoming film System alongside Sonakshi Sinha, Jyotika reflected on her Bollywood debut with Doli Saja Ke Rakhna and why she decided to move away from Mumbai after the film did not perform well at the box office.
‘My first Hindi film didn’t do well’Jyotika made her acting debut opposite Akshaye Khanna in Priyadarshan ’s Doli Saja Ke Rakhna in 1998. While she still remembers the film fondly, she admitted that its box office failure pushed her towards the Tamil film industry.
“That’s where I actually went (to Tamil film industry) from Hindi after my first film didn’t do well because of box office numbers,” Jyotika shared with NDTV, adding, “Even though I believe it was a very sweet film.”
The actor said Chennai eventually became much more than just a workplace for her.
‘Chennai gave me my family’Expressing gratitude towards the Tamil film industry, Jyotika credited it for giving her meaningful roles and shaping both her personal and professional life.
“I love Chennai. I think it’s traditional, it has given me my bread and butter, it has given me my family,” she said.
Over the years, Jyotika became one of the most celebrated stars in South cinema, known for taking on performance-driven parts.
“I have played deaf and mute, I have played blind. I have played every character I could have asked for, so that’s like a God’s gift to me,” she added.
‘Now Hindi films are offering layered roles’After spending over two decades away from Bollywood, Jyotika believes Hindi cinema is finally writing stronger and more layered roles for women.
“Today again I felt they are not writing very different roles,” she said while explaining why she had distanced herself from Hindi films earlier.
“Now back to Hindi, I am getting very different kinds of roles to play. And I am getting a very warm welcome because of the South. It’s all so interconnected. I am not seeing a difference as such. Just being at the right place at the right time,” she added.
Jyotika gets nostalgic about MumbaiThe actress also turned emotional while speaking about returning to Mumbai after 26 years and the nostalgia attached to the city where she grew up.
“I love Mumbai, I grew up here. I was born here, I did my schooling here,” Jyotika said.
“Even crossing the street in front of my school is nostalgic for me. Everything about Mumbai I love, the pani puri, the bhel puri, even speaking Hindi, everything that I missed,” she added.
Sonakshi Sinha on choosing stronger female rolesMeanwhile, Sonakshi Sinha also spoke about moving away from purely commercial entertainers like Dabangg and Rowdy Rathore towards more layered characters with greater emotional depth and agency.
Jyotika and Sonakshi will next be seen together in System, directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari. The film is slated to release on Prime Video on May 22.
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