MUMBAI: Actress Tamannaah Bhatia, who was recently seen in ‘Sikandar Ka Muqaddar’, has spoken up on the importance of self-love and respecting oneself.

The actress is gearing up for her upcoming theatrical film ‘Odela 2’, in which she essays the role of Shivashakti. She also spoke on the tag “Milky Beauty” that she is often associated with. The actress had an empowering response.

She said, “Why did you look at a milky beauty and thought she could be Shivashakti? He doesn’t look at a milky beauty as something that has to be shamed or to feel bad about, glamour in a woman is to be celebrated and we women must celebrate ourselves, then we can expect others to celebrate us”.

She further mentioned, “If we look at ourselves in a certain way then nobody can respect us right. Here we have a wonderful gentleman who does not look at women like that, he looks at women like divine, and divine can be glamorous, divine can be lethal, divine can be powerful, divine can be many things. A woman can be many many things”.

Her words reflect her confidence and the changing perception of women in cinema, where strength and glamour can co-exist.

The actress has established herself as one of the most sought after in Indian cinema, with a career spanning over a decade across multiple film industries. Her role in the ‘Baahubali’ franchise cemented her status as a true star.

In 2024, she captured the audience’s attention with the special number ‘Aaj Ki Raat’, from ‘Stree 2’. The song went on to become the biggest hit song of the year, proving her enduring appeal. ‘Odela 2’ is the sequel to ‘Odela Railway Station’. It tells the story of the eponymous fictional village. The film portrays how Odela Mallanna Swamy protects his village from evil forces.

The film is set to release on April 7.