Priya Bhavani Shankar plays the female lead in “Irumudi,” which is scheduled to hit theatres on August 21. During a recent press conference, the actress spoke about her character Kaveri, working with Ravi Teja, the challenges of shooting in remote locations and her upcoming projects.
What is Kaveri’s character like in Irumudi?
Kaveri is a simple family woman. Her husband and daughter are her entire world, and she is deeply devoted to her family. Playing Kaveri was a unique experience for me because I haven’t portrayed a character like this before. We see women like Kaveri in real life, and I have come across many such women myself. So, I played a character that I believe everyone can relate to.
Director Shiva Nirvana writes wonderful stories and characters. I really liked the story when he narrated it to me. I had watched his earlier films, and “Ninnu Kori” is one of my favourites. I also watch a lot of Telugu films.
The father-daughter emotion in Irumudi is universal. That emotion is the same everywhere in the world, and I believe audiences will connect with these characters.
What was the biggest challenge in playing Kaveri?
I don’t share many similarities with Kaveri. I am quite different from her in real life. As an actress, playing characters who are very different from you is always interesting. The Telugu language was one of the challenges. This isn’t urban Telugu; the dialogues involve a specific rural dialect. Getting the nuances and pronunciation right took some effort.
I also shot in the Sileru region for around 30 days. The locations added the action-thriller atmosphere that the story required. Working in such remote areas was challenging as well.
How was it working with Ravi Teja?
Ravi Teja is an actor with incredible energy, and matching his energy isn’t easy. I had watched his films before, but working alongside him allowed me to see a different side of him. He is extremely down-to-earth, and it was a great experience working with him.
Do you have any dream roles?
I am a very happy person, but I have mostly played serious roles so far. I would love to play characters that are fun and entertaining. I want to do a film that makes the audience laugh and allows me to explore a completely different side of myself.
What can you tell us about Dhootha 2?
Dhootha 2, is second season of Dhootha, has already gone on floors, and it will continue the story from the first part. Meanwhile, Demonte Colony 3 is getting ready for release, and a few other projects are currently in the discussion stage.