Rashmika Mandanna says that picking up projects in the two film industries has now become a challenge. “To be very honest, today if an event in South and an event in Hindi need me at the same time, it’s difficult. But I know how much love I have received from everywhere, so it’s just my responsibility to say ‘bye bye’ to my sleep and just turn up.”
“I’m someone who loves people… I prioritise their love first. So I think that keeps me going, that makes me feel like its okay if I have to shoot two-three films at the same time. I still will. It’s okay if I have to do a double shift, but I will,” she said.
Rashmika began her career with 2016’s Kannada movie Kirik Party and at that time, she believed it would be just “one film and done” for her.
“But here I am, 24 films down. And I just feel blessed because there are so many prettier women, there’s so many more talented women, and there’s so many gorgeous women out there but I’m just having this journey of my own.
“I feel really connected with my audience or my well wishers… And I want to keep that really close to my heart and keep doing my films that I’m doing,” Mandanna said.
In the last two years, the actor featured in two blockbusters from the North and South film industries. And Mandanna can do anything to get love from her fans.
“When a film is released and people watch it and show their love to me, it just gives me that high. And I crave for that high, I crave for that love. So, I can do anything to get that love from them,” she added.
Rashmika also expressed her views on the tag national crush given to her by her fans. She said while she appreciates tags like national crush from her fans, she believes they do not define her identity as an artist.
At just 28 years old, Mandanna has become one of the most prominent stars in recent years, gaining a pan-India fan base thanks to the success of films such as Geetha Govindam, Dear Comrade, Bheeshma, Sita Ramam, Varisu, and the Pushpa franchise.
As an actor, Mandanna said what matters to her the most is the love people shower on her films.
“I don’t think that having tags will advance your career. Tags come from a place of affection from your fans. They want to refer to you in that way, and they will. But these tags are only tags. What truly matters are the films you create and the love from the audience. This translates into ticket sales for a Friday screening. That, to me, is what is really important,” the actor said.
Her latest project is the Hindi historical action movie “Chhaava”, in which she stars opposite Vicky Kaushal.
Directed by Laxman Utekar, “Chhaava” will see Kaushal in the role of Maratha emperor Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, who was the son of Maratha empire founder Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Mandanna essays the role of Sambhaji Maharaj’s wife Maharani Yesubai and she said the project came as a surprise to her.
“I didn’t expect that it would come to me. And this was a massive, extremely big opportunity,” she said, adding that she sought guidance from Utekar and the film’s producer Dinesh Vijan while preparing for the part.
