BENGALURU: After 16 years since she made her debut in Sandalwood with Kotigobba, Priyanka Upendra still commands attention. Proving that with age she is becoming more and more of a work of refined art, Priyanka has been exhibiting prudence while choosing her films. According to her, one film that suits her best and which she thoroughly enjoyed was Mummy- Save Me, which will hit the theatres this week.
Though the film took a long time in the making, the buzz created by director Lohith H for the horror film has not faded away. According to Priyanka, there were genuine reasons for the delay. “Technicalities and VFX took time, which was mainly the sound required for the horror element to stand out. Lohith is new as a director and a perfectionist, who was learning on the job. He was extremely dedicated and we all supported him in shaping up the film. There were other reasons for the delay, but some things are destined to happen. At the end, what matters is for people to remember this film,” she says.
The film has certain sequences in which Priyanka is seen as a pregnant women, an experience she has already gone through with two children in real life. But experiencing it on reel was equally challenging, says Priyanka. “The director wanted me to look soft and not much toned up and I did shape myself accordingly. But the blown up tummy made of rubber was very uncomfortable. But I could relate to Mummy in so many ways, especially handling a child. I felt I was genuine in the act,” she says.
However, she adds that it was her first experience with the horror genre. “I am surprised as to how I didn’t come across a horror subject till date even though I am a big buff of the genre,” she mentions and adds that Mummy... is natural horror and was challenging for an actor to perform. “In a horror film, you are usually alone and it is just the reactions that speak. We had many tricky shots and for me, the main lead of the film is the sound and Venu’s cinematography, which stands out,” she says.
A believer of good and bad energy, Priyanka reveals that she had in fact gone ahead and guarded herself with a charm - a Devi locket. “I believe that this charm will help me ward off bad feelings out of my mind. But more than the horror bit, I did get disturbed at times, especially during the emotional sequences,” she says.
Speaking about Yuvina Parthavi, who plays her daughter in Mummy-Save Me, Priyanka says that the child as Kirya was amazing.
“She was energetic and a disciplined actor. She learnt Kannada for the film and even sacrificed her sleep because most of the shoots were carried out in the night. We shared a good bonding while shooting,” she says and adds that her own children got along with Yuvina on the sets. “Unfortunately, I cannot show the film to my children in a theatre since it has got an ‘A’ certificate,” she says.