For Kushee Ravi, it has been a few years since Dia was released, and her next Case of Kondana just marks her third Kannada film outing. This will be her first venture into the investigative genre, pairing alongside Vijay Raghavendra in a film directed by Devi Prasad Shetty. “I play a doctor here, and the love interest and support system to the protagonist,” says the actor ahead of the film’s release on January 26.
“Dia had me in a full-fledged role, but in a film like Case of Kondana, I am an integral part along with Vijay Raghavendra, Bhavana Menon, RAngayana Raghu, and my role holds significant importance,” she says.
The actor, who began with Soda Buddi and gained popularity with the titular role in Dia, acknowledges that even after four years, she is still searching for her due. “In my case, there is a challenge of me being perceived as an introvert despite being open to playing extroverted characters. In such cases, I opine the importance of auditions to showcase my craft and change misconceptions about my ability to portray only raw characters,” she explains.
The actor has also made her mark in Telugu cinema with films like Rudra and Pindam, the latter receiving a positive response. Kushee is also working on projects like Full Meals and S/o of Mutthanna, which are in different stages of production. “I’ve been avoiding stereotypical characters like Dia or Mary in Soda Buddi. I don’t mind seeking roles where audiences can connect with my character, regardless of screen time, but not with familiar roles,” she adds.
Kushee disagrees to the notion that a heroine’s career span is limited. She highlights the positive shift in the industry, where married heroines are now receiving good characters. “I have personally experienced this change, being married and still getting lead roles,” she says.
Back to talking about the Case of Kondana, Kushee expresses happiness about being part of a film with an interesting cast. “While I have been paired alongside Vijay Raghavendra, and even though I don’t share screen space with Bhavana and Rangayana Raghu, with two stories running in parallel, I believe that every character in the film holds importance.”
The film produced by Devi Prasad Shetty and Sathwik Hebba has music by Gagan Baderiya, cinematography by Vishwanath Rao, and art direction by Bhavani Shankar.