Avika Gor says strong characters matter more than glamour

After establishing herself on television, Avika Gor says her shift to Telugu cinema happened naturally, driven largely by the kind of stories being told. The actor, who has steadily built a career in the South, says she now chooses projects based on the strength of the narrative rather than commercial considerations.“I got an amazing script. It blew my mind, and I felt that if I had to begin films, this was the right way to do it,” she says, adding, “The stories are beautiful, the directors are bold with their ideas, and they are willing to make experimental films.”She is now awaiting the release of her next Telugu film, a project centred on marital rape and domestic violence. Calling it one of the most significant films of her career so far, Avika says the subject demanded emotional honesty and restraint.“It’s the first time I’m speaking about something this important through a film. The scenes are brutal because they show the reality of what happens behind closed doors.”Ask her about Bollywood and she says it all depends on the project. “I’m always looking for characters that actually contribute to the story. I don’t want to just be there without purpose,” she says, adding that she is currently working on a Bollywood project.Meanwhile, she is preparing to return to Khatron Ke Khiladi after an earlier stint on the reality show ended sooner than she had expected. Looking back, Avika admits she had entered the competition overconfident. “I genuinely believed I wasn’t scared of anything, but once I got there, I realised I had fears. This time, I don’t want to pretend. I just want to be honest and give it everything,” she says.