If a rape victim like Nirbhaya was alive today, how her life could have shaped up is what director Dayal Padmanabhan shows in his upcoming film, Ranganayaki. The subject, drawn from the rape victim’s case, has been explored in a novel written by the director himself. And Aditi Prabhudeva is equally overwhelmed with getting to play the titular role.
The film will be released this week, and the actor says she initially felt a certain kind of fear about how the film, which touches upon such a sensitive issue, will turn out to be. “I could overcome it the day Ranganayaki was selected for the Indian Panorama, and was the only Kannada film selected among the 83 on the list. This also made me believe that ‘content is king’, and it is the subject that rules,” she says.
Aditi is also happy that Ranganayaki enabled her to take a break from doing glamorous characters. “As actors, we always talk about certain dream roles. But when such characters are offered, we hesitate or don’t have the guts to take them up, thinking that glamorous look is a safe bet. I wanted to break away from these, and was waiting to take up a character that would help me showcase my performance. Now, recognition from the Indian Panorama is only a feather in the cap,” she adds.
Ranganayaki is a classic title picked from the 1980s, and the film’s tagline -- Vol1- Virginity -- has been catching a lot of attention. “With Ranganayaki as the title, Dayal plans to make a series of films on sensitive issues. The concept of virginity is beautifully explained in Vol 1, which all independent and working women will relate to,” says Aditi, adding, “For women, virginity is not just about sharing a physical relationship, but it should be soulful. There is always a difference when it is forced, instead of something that is accepted out of love. That’s what Dayal has portrayed through Ranganayaki.”
Aditi explains that a rape victim cannot say she has lost her virginity, and that is the film’s concept. “A rape victim feels that the only solution is suicide, as there is no other way. But why should she die for no fault of hers? She should be her own backbone and strengthen herself,” she says, stressing that the concept has been shown in a dignified manner in the film. “A woman expects the men in her life, whether it is her father, brother, husband or boyfriend, to stand by her, and this will be the highlight of Ranganayaki,” she says.
Aditi reveals that she was earlier even hesitant to utter the word ‘rape’ or watch films on such topics. And this turned out to be an advantage for the character, the actor says. “This role got me so involved that I did not use a phone or social media until I completed 90 per cent of the shooting. During the shooting process, the character taught me a lot of lessons and stabilised me. Ranganayaki is a gift to all women,” she adds.
Along with Aditi, the film also features actor-director M G Srinivas, Trivikram, and Chakravarthy Chandrachud in pivotal roles.
Ranganayaki, made under the banner of S V Entertainment, has music scored by Manikanth Kadri and cinematography by Rakesh B.