'Ashoka Vanamlo Arjuna Kalyanam' is heading to theatres on May 6. Produced by Bapineedu and Sudheer Edara, it is directed by Vidhya Sagar Chinta. In this interview, actress Rukshar Dhillon talks about the movie, her role in it, the kind of person she is in real life, and more.
I never planned my acting career. Things just happened. Even in the beginning, I was very lucky and was blessed to get good opportunities. My first film was with a big banner in Kannada. In Telugu, I got to work with Nani and Allu Sirish early on. I am happy about the choices I made.
My role in 'Ashoka Vanamlo..' is different from what I have done before in every way. Its central narrative connected with me. The film says that you should connect with the person you are living with in marriage. My character in the film is that of a simple, urban girl. She lives in a protective family environment. She has morals and values. She goes through a lot of emotions in silence. As an actor, it was challenging for me to act without saying many lines. This role is the opposite of what I have done before.
Vishwak Sen was fun to work with. He has brought out the excitement and nervousness of his character with so much ease. We balanced each other's energies very well. The director's clear-cut vision was helpful. He gave us the freedom to explore our characters.
Nani is very reserved and focuses a lot on acting. Sirish is chilled out, and is so knowledgeable about filmmaking since he comes from a family of film personalities. Vishwak is energetic. All three of them are dedicated and it's easy to work with him. 'Krishnarjuna Yuddham' was my Telugu debut and I was very nervous back then. Nani, being an understanding co-star, was very comfortable to work with.
Over the years, I have learned to be subtle on screen. I am avoiding too much head-nodding, etc. Doing 'Ashoka Vanamlo..' helped me understand the power of emoting without mouthing dialogues. I am in a happy space at a time when a variety of offers are coming my way.
There have been love marriages in our family. So, yes, I believe in love marriage. In an arranged marriage set-up, something 'Ashoka Vanamloo..' explores, there is an opportunity for two families to meet and share ideas. I don't place much premium on looks. My man has to be respectful, nice, sans airs, and down-to-earth.
If I get a chance, I would like to act in a nice love story directed by Sukumar sir. I have always loved his movies. I like to act opposite Allu Arjun sir, Mahesh Babu sir. When I was 8 or 10 years old, the heroes I had heard about were these.
There has been a sense of gloom in the era of the covid-19 pandemic. Watch 'Ashoka Vanamloo..', which is a whiff of fresh air. It is fun, it is emotional. The family audience are going to surely enjoy it! I hope this is going to be a big family entertainer.
