Kashmira Pardeshi was seen opposite Naga Shaurya in 'Nartanasala' (2018). This week, she is making a Telugu cinema comeback with 'Vinaro Bhagyamu Vishnu Katha', which stars Kiran Abbavaram in the lead.
In this interview, the young actress talks about playing Darshana in the romantic action entertainer, sharing screen space with Kiran, what to expect from her character, and more.
I started with theatre in Mumbai. I have been in modelling as well. Being in theatre changed my outlook completely. I hail from Maharashtra and I come from a Rajput family.
I had four different debuts in four different languages in the year 2018 (in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Marathi). 'Nartanasala' is my debut Telugu movie. I had a hit in Tamil the same year. 'Sivappu Manjal Pachai' was my Tamil deubt. It was a hit.
I was waiting to team up with a banner like Geetha Arts. I was in a Balaji Temple in Chennai when 'Vinaro Bhagyamu Vishnu Katha' came my way. I didn't know at that time that the film would be set in Tirupathi. I saw it as a great omen when director Murali Krishna A told me the film will be shot in Tirupathi. The vibes were so positive.
The first schedule of the movie was for 30 days in the temple town. Later, we finished the shoot in Hyderabad. The whole experience was pretty amazing. Geetha Arts is always so good at what they do. I can see why people want to work with the banner. They make the artists feel comfortable. Allu Aravind garu and Bunny Vas garu are so involved in the project. The way they support and encourage you is encouraging, so also Kiran's encouragement.
My character Darshana is performance-centric. It's not a character meant just for dancing. In fact, Kiran has got more dancing in the film. We both have equally consequential roles. She is not monotonous. Her character has got an arc. Shooting with Kiran and Murali Sharma sir was a fun experience. In the film, we bring out Insta reels. The trailer has not shown much of that angle.
I am able to understand Telugu when others speak. Speaking is a bit of a struggle, though. I have done interviews in Tamil and I sometimes tend to mix Tamil and Telugu. An actor can adapt herself to the language. The primary focus has to be the performance. It's good that my face suits stories set in all cultures. I feel lucky that filmmakers believe I can mould my face according to the character I play. I look much different now compared to how I looked in 'Nartanasala'. You learn with every film, what kind of performances suit you, how to present yourself in front of the camera...
I and Kiran had outdoor schedules and there were many scenes between us. It's a lot more collaborative effort. There are no intimate scenes between us. We maintained each other's boundaries.
Telugu cinema makes a lot of commercial cinema. It's easier to make the audience cry than to make them laugh. That's why I like Tollywood and the way content and entertainment are blended here. In Marathi, films are more content-oriented. Very rarely does it happen that there is a mix of content and entertainment there. The scale and canvas of movies in Telugu cinema are much bigger. There, directors are more theatre-driven.
I am still figuring out which genre suits me the most. I am an outsider and it would naturally take time for an actor to figure out. You have to go through hits and misses. It is a learning curve. The public has become more aware. The presentation of women onscreen is undergoing a change. When a woman walks into a room, she brings a certain energy.
I am doing a Tamil film titled 'PT Sir' with Hiphop Tamizha as its hero. I am also going to do another Hindi movie this year. I am always into listening to story pitches and auditioning.
