Pailwan’s physio

An actor, a proud physio, who loves to write, sing and dance is how Aakanksha Singh sees herself. The actress, who hails from the ‘pink city’ of Jaipur, has had an interesting journey into the world of glitz and glamour. She is all set to blaze the silver screen with one of the most anticipated Kannada movies — Pailwaan — starring Kichcha Sudeepa, which will hit the theatres in at least five languages including Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi.

It seems like an unlikely journey from being a physiotherapist to a film star, but sporty actress Aakanksha Singh seems to have managed just that. We get acquainted with her before her big Sandalwood debut with Pailwaan, working alongside star actor Kichcha Sudeepa.

“It’s amazing that Pailwaan will be releasing in multiple languages, which, in turn, marks my debut not just in Kannada but in Malayalam and Tamil too. In fact, it was supposed to be made in Kannada alone. However, the team decided to take it pan-India midway, following its universal subject coupled with brilliant making. The other huge factor in deciding to reach a larger audience is undoubtedly Kichcha Sudeep sir, who stars in the role of a pailwaan (a professional wrestler),” says an eager Akanksha.

When asked whether her real-life physio skills have anything to do with this tale of a wrestler, she quips that that is something the audience must wait to find out on the bigger screen. But she gives a sneak peek into her character in Pailwaan, revealing that Rukmini has two faces. “One is a very Westernised, glamorous persona, while in the second half, I will be seen in traditional avatar, mostly draped in saree. I’m glad that it is not like any other big commercial venture in which the presence of the heroine is limited to a couple of scenes and songs. Rukmini has an emotional journey alongside the main protagonist,” she explains proudly.

On her experience working with one of the finest actors of today’s film industry, Aakanksha shares that she never felt that she was working with a star actor but instead a calm and composed colleague on the sets. “Kiccha sir is a thorough professional, who is always dedicated to the work of art. More than an actor and a filmmaker, there is so much to learn from him as a person. I could not have asked for more,” she smiles. Recently, the soundtrack of the movie that has been directed and produced by cinematographer-turned-director S Krishna, was released by another superstar of Sandalwood — Puneeth Rajkumar. The film also marks the Sandalwood debut of Mohra actor Suneil Shetty, a Mangalurean by birth, who has had a special bond with the state’s coastal region before making it big in Bollywood.

Aakanksha seems to have no trouble bridging the language gap. She has dubbed her own voice for the Hindi version of this film, which is titled Pehlwaan and she was last seen in a support role in Hindi in Badrinath Ki Dulhania. Besides, her next film is a bilingual venture titled Clap, being made in Tamil and Telugu. “It is not a biopic, but I play the role of a national hockey player in it. Talking about sports, I have always been a sportsperson since my school days. It explains why I took up physiotherapy as a career option before destiny got me into the world of acting. Apart from cricket, in which I love to bowl, I have participated in several track and field events,” Aakanksha admits.