Debutant director Tharun Bhascker’s latest film Pellichoopulu has stunned the Telugu film industry. Made with a budget of under Rs 2 crore with a starless cast, the film has broken box-office records both in India and overseas, collecting Rs 3.11 crore in the US box-office in its first week. The romantic comedy has come as a breath of fresh air in an industry plagued with formulaic films and cliched plots. Even as Pellichoopulu continues to reap rewards, the film’s female lead Ritu Varma has been the toast of Tollywood, showered with offers ever since the film hit screens on July 29.
Ritu, who delivered her best performance till date in Pellichoopulu, says she was always the first choice for the project. “Tharun and I had worked earlier in an award-winning short film Anukokunda. We have been friends for long, so when he was doing his first feature film, he had me in mind for the role of Chitra. I have a lot of confidence in him because I know he’ll bring something new to the table,” says Ritu.
The actress, who previously featured in supporting roles in Baadshah (2013) and Yevade Subramanyam (2015), says the success of Pellichoopulu has exceeded her expectations. “Honestly, I didn’t expect the film to do this well. We knew that we were making a good film, but this response is unbelievable,” she gushes.
Unlike other mainstream films, Pellichoopulu used sync sound in its making, rather than dubbing the dialogues in a studio, making it much more relatable for the viewers. “Shooting the film in sync sound also ensured a lot of discipline, because everybody had to maintain silence. It also helped me become a better actor. I have more command over the language. Somehow, dubbing feels artificial, so shooting in sync sound was a relief,” she says.
The 26-year-old plays Chitra, a fiercely independent girl who sets up her own food truck business and is focused on her career goals, much to the chagrin of her parents who want to get her married. While Ritu wants to play similar roles going forward, she’s not against acting in pure masala entertainers. “I want to do more films like this. But as an actor, what’s more challenging is to do all kinds of films in all genres. Having said that, my character has to have some sort of significance to the script. I can’t just stand there and do nothing,” she says, firmly.
In an industry which is notorious for sidelining its women to being just eye-candies in commercial films, Ritu believes things are looking up. “Times are changing and we see better roles for women these days. We need more films like
Piku in Tollywood. The audience is also accepting women-oriented films so it’s a great time to be in the industry,” she says.
In Pellichoopulu, the director subtly touches upon serious issues like the dowry system and oppression against girl child, even in urban society. The actress says she feels grateful that the film has struck a chord with so many young women and inspired them to do better. “A lot of people have told me that you are an inspiration to a lot of girls. So if a character can create such an impact, I think that’s wonderful,” says Ritu.
A North Indian, who was born and raised in Hyderabad, Ritu speaks both Hindi and Telugu fluently. Currently, she’s gearing up for her debut release in Tamil. “The film is called China and I’m paired oppposite Kalaiyarasan. Its director Harshvardhan is a debutant and an associate of AR Murgadoss,” she adds, with a smile.