Rukmini Vasanth has become the talk of the town, following her performance in Side A of Saptasagardaache Ello. After the critical and commercial success of the film, expectations have grown monumentally for Side B, which is currently slated to release on November 17.
Overwhelmed by the audience response, Rukmini shares, “I’ve been receiving a lot of positive responses and messages, both at theatres and on my social media platforms. One incredible and nuanced response that moved me was when somebody thanked me for becoming an actor, and it left me speechless. To have an audience thank you for just playing a character is breathtaking.
Starring Rakshit Shetty in the lead, and directed by Hemanth M Rao, the film also stars Chaithra B Achar. Reflecting on her character in the film, Rukmini recounts her emotional journey. Asked about the future of Manu and Priya’s love, she teases, “Come and watch Side B, and sure you will see the emotional connection and a lot of drama.” Addressing whether the ‘One Letter’ changed Priya’s perspective on love, Rukmini acknowledges the audience’s concern, stating,
“This is the grouse the audience has, and I want to address it. Director Hemanth and I have had intense discussions about the love between Manu and Priya, the trauma of distance, and the crucial scenes in the film. Priya sacrifices her studies and changes her lifestyle for Manu. In my opinion, and as per Hemanth’s direction, the tough part for Priya is when Manu doesn’t turn up, suddenly crushing her world. She becomes suicidal, giving up on the relationship because he has given up, and she doesn’t know what he’s up to. I think this part in the cinema is well justified.”
Discussing Priya’s character dynamics, Rukmini praises the characters created by the writer and director. She particularly highlights her rapport with Pavithra Lokesh, who plays Priya’s mother. Calling herself a warm-up actor, she credits exceptional artists like Pavithra Lokesh for making her job easier.
The release of Side B has introduced Rukmini Vasanth to other industries, and the film’s multilingual release has expanded its reach. Rukmini emphasizes, “You don’t have to intend for all films to be Pan -Indian, but the content reaches far with audiences from different languages. Sapta.. is an experiential film. Even though the plot may not be relatable, the emotions are. People have watched Side A on OTT, and I hope they watch Side B in theaters.”
While Rukmini believes that only director Hemanth can do justice to a story like Sapta Sagaradaache Ello, she firmly states that no other actor but Rakshit Shetty could fit the role. He has poured his heart and soul into this film, serving as both actor and producer.
Meanwhile, the actor is busy shooting for her Tamil debut with Vijay Sethupathi. She also has “Bhairathi Ranagal” with Shivarajakumar in the pipeline. Rukmini is also in discussions with a few more directors, which will be officially announced once she signs on the dotted line. Is it luck or gut instinct for Rukmini in her choice of roles? “Luck plays a significant role. I did think that the pandemic brought in bad luck to me. But it was during that time I got the chance to be a part of ‘Sapta.’ You cannot sit around and wait for work to come to you. When I got an opportunity to work with Shivarajkumar in the ‘Bairathi Ranagal’ prequel, directed by Narthan, I just said, ‘Tell me where to sign’ because I knew I was working with a legend,” she signs off.