The Kolkata chromosome

After impressive performances in Mummy and 2nd Half, the beautiful and talented Priyanka Upendra is back with another thriller titled Devaki. And this one not only has Priyanka essaying the lead but also has her husband Upendra lending his voice as the narrator and their daughter Aishwarya in a debut role! The film directed by Lohith (who was also responsible for the supernatural horror flick Mummy), was initially titled Howrah Bridge but it was eventually changed due to the importance of the character of the mother who moves heaven and earth in search of her missing daughter in the city of joy. “The character I portray in Devaki is very close to me as I can relate to it as a mother in real life too,” Priyanka shares.

Kannada actress Priyanka Upendra gives us the lowdown on her latest film shot in Kolkata with director Lohith, which also features her daughter’s debut.

Kolkata is the fulcrum of the entire film; a backdrop for all the events that transpire and yet, almost a well-etched character in itself. Priyanka says, “It was very memorable for me to shoot for Devaki in Kolkata, as it is where my journey as an actress took off. With my daughter Aishwarya making her debut, shooting in the same place, it makes it even more special.” She gets visibly nostalgic talking about the city, “We used to travel by train to reach the bridge. It reminded me of my childhood days spent there. I would go visit my dad who worked on the other side of the city. It brought back all the lovely memories, from the ghats of the river Ganges, the street food and much more.”

Having shot continuously for 24 hours on the Howrah Bridge despite heavy traffic, the team has clearly gone the extra mile for authenticity. They even shot in real slums and the red-light areas of Kolkata. Priyanka admits how she rose to the challenge of walking through vile-smelling heaps of real garbage there. And the shivers the unit experienced as they shot at arguably the spookiest place in Kolkata — the 250-year-old South Park Cemetery!

The Bengali connection doesn’t end there. Priyanka shares the screen with Kishore, who has tried his hand at dubbing in Bengali for the first time in this one. Also, a number of Bengali actors and technicians are a part of Devaki. No wonder then, that the team is planning to have it released in West Bengal too.