HYDERABAD: What do we expect from a film? Or, to put it differently, what do you enjoy seeing on screen? Fights, comedy, drama — these are the basics, but what truly captures our attention is when we connect with the story, isn’t it? Understanding this core concept, Niharika Konidela, an accomplished actress and rising producer is known for her fresh and relatable stories through her production house, Pink Elephant Pictures. Her latest venture, ‘Bench Life’, is yet another example of her approach to storytelling, focusing on the everyday complexities and humour found in human relationships. Directed by Manasa Sharma, the story explores the lives of corporate employees.
Taking inspiration from her own life, Manasa Sharma said, “Initially, we heard that Sony Liv was looking for something targeting IT people. We felt ‘bench’ is a topic with a lot of fun and quirkiness, something that hasn’t been done on screen yet. Being a software engineer myself, I have seen firsthand how fun and ironic life can be when there’s a recession — people get fired, and the ones on ‘bench’ are the first to go. We thought this would be an interesting and fun topic to explore.”
Niharika opens up about the series, the balancing act of her multifaceted career, and her vision for the future with CE.
Excerpts.
Regarding the series, what inspired you to produce ‘Bench Life’, and what sets this series apart from other works you’ve done?
Rather than saying what made me produce ‘Bench Life’, it was a collective decision. When I discussed it with Sony, we realised that we were all interested in producing something in the IT space that dealt more with human relationships. I sat with my director, Manasa, and the writer, Mahesh, from the beginning; it’s not the other way around where the script came to me, and I selected it. This is one show that I’ve been involved with since its inception, working on the mood and feel of the show. What sets this apart is its relatability. ‘Bench Life’ is another such series with quirky characters and different types of relationships that resonate with viewers.
Recently, your production house had a big hit with ‘Committee Kurrollu’. What are your future goals for your production house?
I don’t believe in long-term goals. I take things as they come, but I do have a vision for my production house. I want people to recognise ‘Pink Elephant Pictures’ for producing content that will steal their hearts. I just want to create good content and win people over.
If you could collaborate with one director or actor under your production house, who would it be?
That’s a great question! I don’t have a specific person in mind. I believe in working with debut directors. I’m not offending others, but debut directors have a unique fire and passion, which I find very inspiring. I enjoy collaborating with directors who are self-taught or have learned by working with others.
How do you balance your professional and social life as a producer and an actress?
It is quite a task to manage my time, but it’s been falling into place. I like cooking for myself, and I try to balance my work commitments with socialising. I also have narrations as a producer and am currently working in the Tamil industry. It can be tedious juggling all these things, but the universe has been kind, and I have managed so far.
Do you have any life mantras or something you live by?
My life mantra is ‘live and let live’. It’s easy to say but hard to practice. We constantly judge others and try to dictate how they should live their lives. I prefer to live my life on my own terms and let others do the same.
You mentioned working on a Tamil film. Can you tell us about your upcoming projects, acting-wise and production-wise?
Production-wise, ‘Bench Life’ is the last project from Pink Elephant Pictures in 2024. We have several projects lined up for 2025, including one with the same director, Manasa Sharma. Acting-wise, I’m part of a film called ‘Madraskaaran’, which will be released soon.