Noted South Indian actor Chaya Singh is thriving on both the small screen and the big screen. The actor, who is currently in the spotlight for her serial Amurthadhare in Kannada, is set to join Shivarajkumar-Narthan’s Bhairathi Ranagal. She was also part of their previous collaboration, Mufti.
On her return to Kannada cinema after a hiatus, Chaya shares that the decision to make Bhairathi Ranagal was made after Mufti (2017)., but it took time to come together. “I feel lucky to be doing good things in my career at this time. Working with a star like Shivarajkumar and director Narthan will be a different experience altogether. I’m eagerly waiting for the film to go on floors,” she says.
Regarding her character in Bhairathi Ranagal, which is a prequel to Mufti, Chaya says, “In Mufti, we see a tiff between my Vedhavathi, and her brother Bhairathi Ranagal. Somewhere, the story left a lot of questions about his behaviour, and why he is like that. I guess with a prequel, it makes it interesting to see how both these characters shaped into what they were in Mufti.”
When asked about her choices of roles today, Chaya says she has always been selective in her career. “From the beginning, I chose characters that blend into the story and connect with the audience. Sometimes things go wrong, but that’s part of it,” she says.
Working in two different mediums, Chaya reveals that the reason for her foray into the small screen in Kannada was definitely the script of Amruthadhare. “While being on the silver screen puts you in the limelight, being a household name is different. The serial provided that opportunity. Today, if I go out, people recognise me and say, “Hey, I see you every evening at 7 pm,” and I proudly respond, Yes,” says Chaya as she points out that the pandemic impacted the theatre-going habit. “If you want to reach the audience, you have to take different measures, including OTT and series.”
Apart from Bhairathi Ranagal, the actor is also part of Dinakar Thoogudeepa’s upcoming directorial Royal starring Virat, and she has completed shooting for it. She also has a Tamil film that is yet to go on floors. “I love working, and that’s what motivates me to get out of bed and go out. However, cinema is much easier as you have time to prepare. Television requires long hours of work and less time to prepare. You are challenged to keep your character in check, and it is amazing how fast your mind works when you are on the sets of a serial, which is not the case in films,” she says.