Her first film was Madras Cafe in Bollywood, but Raashi Khanna found her true calling in the Telugu film industry. Now the pretty actress is set to make her Tamil debut opposite Siddharth in Shaitan Ka Bachcha, directed by Karthik G Krish of Kappal fame.
“The shooting has begun and it’s a packed schedule. This is my first official stay in Chennai and I’m simply loving it. I wish I had more time to explore. I am a lot into the cultural ethos of a place,” elaborates Raashi, when we caught up with her at Tifara, where she was launching a new bridal collection.
When quizzed about her character in the film, she says, “I can’t give away too many details. But it’s truly exciting and different from anything I have done so far. I know everyone says that, but you will know what I mean when you see it!” adding, “Tamil is a beautiful language. I am enjoying this learning experience and whatever we have shot so far made me realise that I especially enjoy witty comedy.”
The last two years have been crazy for Raashi with several films on hand — “I am still a new kid on the block in terms of the south film industry. I have realised that in Tamil, there is great content being produced — atleast among the films that are being offered to me.”
Raashi, who follows the works of Mani Ratnam, Gautham Menon, Pa Ranjith, Shankar, and Lingusamy, is all praise for her director as well — “Karthik is a wonderful person. I’ve enjoyed shooting under his direction. He has a great eye for detailing.”
Any interesting characters she wishes to portray? “I am a big fan of Mani sir's love stories; from Geetanjali (Telugu) to Alaipayuthey; all his films have beautiful women characters. I am greedy for such roles. Even if my character has just a 10 minute screen presence, but something to test my acting prowess, I’m game for it,” Raashi quips.
Grateful that the Telugu film industry has been so welcoming, she affirms, “I have been here for two years and the love I get from fans across the state — and when I travel, is overwhelming. That is real success. I wish filmmakers would place more faith in me and provide the right platform to showcase my skills soon.”
