Rashmika Mandanna on her new Telugu film ‘Aadavallu Meeku Johaarlu’, the success of ‘Pushpa’ and being a 20-something making memories of a lifetime

There was a time when a trip to Bengaluru from her hometown Virajpet in Kodagu district was special for actor Rashmika Mandanna. “It was our Paris,” she had declared to this writer a few years ago. Today, she is a pan-Indian star straddling Telugu and Hindi cinema and basking in the spotlight after the stupendous success of Pushpa – the Rise. In Hyderabad for her new Telugu film Aadavallu Meeku Johaarlu, which releases in theatres on March 4, Rashmika says with a hearty laugh: “It feels surreal when I think how my life has changed in the last five years. Hyderabad has nearly become home and I am often travelling to Mumbai and other cities for work.”

Her staff reminds her that she hasn’t had her meal yet, but she insists on this quick conversation first: “It is my responsibility to fulfill my commitments.”

She remembers the time she filmed for the Kannada film Kirik Party as a teenager: “I had no idea about films, camera or acting. I went to the film sets from my college hostel. I am still discovering the real me, but I am becoming comfortable with being in the spotlight.”

At 25, she has captured the attention of filmgoers in different languages. “A lot of what makes a star, I think, are the choices made off-screen, rather than the on-screen performances. Do I want to workout to look a certain way, how much can I push myself as an actor and what sort of a person I am on and off set… all this matters. The 20s is the time one begins to explore the world, and all that confidence shows on screen.” 

She has been a part of big budget films since the beginning, and her career is further on the rise after Pushpa, but Rashmika reckons that every film she has done so far has helped her reach where she is: “Had I not done Kirik Party or Chalo (Telugu), I would not have been chosen for Geeta Govindam. I am conscious that the scripts I choose today will shape who I am tomorrow.”

Currently working on two Hindi films — director Shantanu Bagchi’s spy thriller Mission Majnu co-starring Siddharth Malhotra and director Vikas Bahl’s Goodbye co-starring Amitabh Bachchan, she says, “There are times I am overwhelmed when I think of the big people I am getting to meet and work with. The other day I was telling my mom, ‘do you realise I am an actor?’ I have to remind myself that unless I am in the moment, confident and capable, I cannot do justice to my work.”

Sharwanand and Rashmika Mandanna in ‘Aadavallu Meeku Johaarlu’

Aadavallu Meeku Johaarlu, written and directed by Kishore Tirumala, is a comedy family drama where Rashmika stars alongside Sharwanand and a line-up of talented female actors including Radhika, Khushboo and Urvashi. “When Kishore sir narrated the story, I was curious about the female actors in these important roles. I couldn’t believe my ears when he reeled off the names. The cast is a huge plus for the film.”

On the sets, Rashmika found herself observing Urvashi, Khushboo and Radhika closely, trying to absorb whatever she could to hone her craft. “Initially I was scared to be in the presence of these talented and beautiful women. Urvashi and Radhika ma’am were together in most scenes and they were incredibly funny. They made everything appear so easy. When Khushbhoo ma’am walked in, I was taken in by her grace and poise. I got to talk to all of them about life, families, pets, how they handled their career… I feel blessed that I have been able to work with them.”

Earlier, Rashmika was perceived to be an outsider in Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai. She says she has begun to imbibe the best of cultures from different cities and film industries: “Whichever set I enter, for the first few days people think I am pretending to be nice to them. A month later they would tell me that they did not expect me to be so warm. But then, I am a people’s person. If I am going to spend so much time working, I might as well have fun and make memories to cherish.”