Exclusive: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan on Netflix's Best of the Best, talks Bharatanatyam

Actor Maitreyi Ramakrishnan said training in Bharatanatyam for Best of the Best helped her enter her character's world more deeply. She called the experience a true gift and said great characters remain an actor's dream.Maitreyi Ramakrishnan said that learning Bharatanatyam shaped her Best of the Best role. (Photo credit: Netflix)For Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, one of the most rewarding parts of being an actor is the opportunity to live lives vastly different from her own. In an exclusive conversation with India Today, the actor opened up about learning new skills for her role in Netflix film, Best of the Best, and how training in Bharatanatyam gave her a deeper connection to the world of her character.Reflecting on what she loves most about acting, Maitreyi told India Today, “As an actor, to be able to step into the shoes of multiple lives and learn skills that you otherwise never would.” The actor admitted that she did not grow up extensively training in dance, apart from a year of Bharatanatyam. Taking on the classical Indian dance form later, therefore, proved to be a challenging but deeply rewarding experience.“I didn’t grow up learning dance and going to classes except for my one year of Bharatanatyam. It was rough. It is insane,” she said, while acknowledging the depth and history of the art form. Maitreyi was particularly appreciative of the creative team and Netflix for giving her the opportunity to immerse herself in the discipline. Calling it a “true gift”, she said the experience allowed the cast to not only acquire a new skill but also become part of a world surrounded by some of the finest talent.“It was a true gift that the rest of the creative team and our folks at Netflix gave us, to be able to acquire a skill and immerse ourselves not only so deeply into this world, but so deeply, truly surrounded by some of the best of the best,” she asserted. For Maitreyi, the experience went beyond learning choreography. It was also about meeting people, absorbing a centuries-old tradition and discovering a side of herself that she may not have encountered otherwise. “I don’t know how else, in any other timeline of my life, in any other occupation, where I would have been able to do that while also getting to meet so many other people,” she added.Ultimately, however, it was the opportunity to inhabit compelling characters that Maitreyi described as the biggest reward. “The whole concept of getting this huge gift of great characters, that is really the best part. It’s the actor’s dream,” she said.Best of the Best, also stars Priyanka Kedia and Hasan Minhaj. It is streaming on Netflix.- EndsPublished On: Sep 22, 2026 11:21 IST