Exclusive | Samyuktha Menon on LCU Film 'Benz': 'Will Feature Other Lokesh Kanagaraj Characters; Both Voice Cameos and In-Person'

Straddling multiple industries, languages and genres, actor Samyuktha Menon is in the thick of what she calls “a time of collaboration.”

The actor, a steadfast presence in Malayalam and Telugu cinema, is stepping into the Hindi film industry with Maharagni: Queen of Queens, a female-led action thriller headlined by Kajol and co-starring Naseeruddin Shah and Prabhu Deva. Originally announced in 2024, the film has seen production delays, with chunks of shooting still unfinished.

“We had a scheduled break, and there were a few delays from production. We’re waiting for that call from production,” Menon explains. “In cinema, once that break happens, then a lot of factors like continuity, including the actors’ looks, get affected.”

She last shot for the project in the beginning of 2025. Since then, director Charan Tej Uppalapati has been assuring her of resuming work soon. The film pools together premier technical talent from across India including Jawan cinematographer GK Vishnu and Pushpa 2: The Rule editor Navin Nooli.

"I have shot a lot for the film but quite a lot is pending," Menon says. Her role in the film, while not an outlier in her filmography, "was completely new for me in terms of the look."

Collaborating with Kajol — an actor she’s admired for decades, watching and rewatching her interviews including a famous one with Simi Garewal — was a highlight. “When you go to a new set, you’re always looking for that ‘warmth’. She (Kajol) is someone who laughs a lot, talks a lot, and I really like her energy. Sometimes when you meet a star in person, they’re completely different. She is not like that.”

On doing scene-work with Naseeruddin Shah, she was impressed by the veteran's otherworldly 'timing'. "The veterans, the way they inhabit their characters, they make it look very easy. It is a treat to watch.”

For Menon, the compass of navigating multiple languages and industries is simple. She’s had top billing in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films, and has worked with leading male stars like Dhanush, Rana Daggubati, Prithviraj Sukumaran and Pawan Kalyan.

Her upcoming slate includes Swayambhu, a large-scale period action drama where she plays a warrior, undergoing training in horse-riding and archery. In the female-centric Telugu action film Black Gold, she plays a powerful police officer. And in Slum Dog, another Teluhu project, she collaborates with Vijay Sethupathi and Tabu with director Puri Jagannadh.

“What attracts me is good cinema, good content, and good characters. The hunger to do something better has always been there," says Menon, who last featured in the Telugu comedy Nari Nari Naduma Murari and the action-fantasy Akhanda 2: Thaandavam.

Menon is also thrilled about Benz, her next Tamil film and the fourth chapter in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU). The film will feature cameos by characters from past LCU films (which include Kaithi (2019), Vikram (2022) and Leo (2023)), resolving mysteries and tying up loose ends.

“There are characters from the other movies coming and going throughout Benz, it’s a world that’s being built. Some have voice cameos while others will show up in person. They have built that world beautifully. Whatever was left out in the previous movies, you will find connections in Benz.”

A stylish action thriller, Benz is being filmed in and around Chennai, in the gradually intensifying heat, and Menon is paired opposite Raghava Lawrence. Meanwhile, her Malayali compeer, Nivin Pauly, is the film's antagonist. “In Benz, I’m not doing any action," Menon clarifies. "Lokesh sir has co-written the film, though I never met him on the sets." The film is directed by Bakkiyaraj Kannan.

Menon is nuanced on the pan-Indian gold rush that has gripped Indian cinema. No film, she believes, "can be made for every audience", and attempting to reverse-engineer a blockbuster like Lokah and Kantara would likely result in disappointment.

"The more rooted a film is, the more likely it is to go pan-India. We saw that with Lokah and how the mythology of the Kalliyankattu Neeli resonated across cultures. When I saw the daiva sequence in the first Kantara, I, a Malayali, cried. Cinema should be true to itself. The soul of the story and the character should remain intact.”

Menon says she is in 'talks for some other Hindi projects', and something should be announced soon. The last Hindi film that blew her mind? "Dhurandhar, of course. I love Aditya Dhar's work. I had liked Uri as well. I was amazed by the use of music in Dhurandhar, blending old songs with new beats. I am looking forward to the sequel."