Even before the release of Shivarajkumar’s Ayushman Bhava, Rachita Ram, who stars opposite the Century Star, has been receiving praises from various quarters. Not just the director P Vasu, even certain industry insiders have been raving about her performance. Ayushman Bhava, made under Dwarakish Chitra for the first time, also has senior actor Anant Nag in a pivotal role. The film also marks the 100th film for music director Gurukiran.
Basking in the box-office success of her latest release, I Love You, starring Upendra, Rachita is currently looking forward to Ayushman Bhava, which releases on November 15. The actor, who doesn’t like keeping a count of her films, talks about her working experience in the musical thriller and more
So, what’s it like to be getting the best character and having to work with biggies?
“Working under P Vasu, who has directed some of the top legends in the South — Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan, Rajinikanth and Balakrishna — was an achievement for me. I always wanted to work with Shivanna, but not in a regular subject. I didn’t want to just come and go, or just dance for two songs in a Shivanna film. And of course, the banner of Dwarakish Chitra speaks for itself. If all these elements are coming together in one film, it’s sheer luck to be part of a perfect team — a dream come true,” the actor tells us.
A subject like Ayushman Bhava is fresh in Sandalwood, she says, adding how her character is different from her previous films. “Firstly, this is an unexpected role. When I got the call from Vasu sir, I expected to play a role similar to Nagavalli (Soundarya’s role in Apthamitra) or be a part of a horror genre. But the script narrated by him took me to a different scenario. I was hesitant whether I could play the role, which I even expressed it with the producer Yogi. He convinced me by saying, “If Vasu has faith that you can carry the role, then you fit the bill and it boosted my confidence.” The whole role was new to me, as well as the way I looked. There were times where we took risks while shooting under natural locations,” says Rachita sharing her shooting experience. “I had decided to go with a blank mind every day, and I eventually became a director’s heroine. I would focus on that particular day’s scenes, which I would then deliver,” she further adds.
Rachita admits that the film was a chance to prove her versatility. “Going by the industry talk, people always think that I am pucca commercial heroine, fit to play only bubbly roles or next-door girl character, and nothing else. This provoked me to attempt new scripts, and go with a fresh set of characters,” she says.
Rachita, who is associating with Shivanna for the first time, refers to him as a ‘Kohinoor Diamond’. “I am blown away by the actor’s simplicity. He is such an awesome human being. He is a good example of how an actor can maintain his stardom,” says Rachita, adding, that the whole presentation of the film is maturely handled. I even got an opportunity to dance with Anant sir, who plays my grandfather in the film. It was an honour,” she says.
Having managed to work with the top stars of Sandalwood, she is going with a whole new set of actors including Prajwal Devaraj, Rishi, Raana and Dhananjay, to list a few.
“Till date, I haven’t gone out of my way to select a script. The story and character has always chosen me, says Rachita, adding, “The directors tell me that they script the story keeping me in their mind, and that’s how filmmakers have approached me with their subjects. At present, I am giving importance to the story, my character, and the team, and accordingly I go by choosing the projects, “she concludes.