They've had an eventful 2017 and are fervently gearing up for a brand new year filled with exciting opportunities. The year 2018 looks like it will bring forth good work and inspired endeavours for many stars. The pretty Rashmika Mandanna is looking forward to her Telugu debut, and so are actresses Samyuktha Hegde and Sruthi Hariharan.
Deepika Padukone will finally see the release of Padmavati as Padmavat, after a long struggle with controversy and cricketer KL Rahul is in his element with the Indian cricket team. Some Namma stars who made a mark last year, share their highs and expectations for the year ahead.
Veda Krishnamurthy, Cricketer
2018 calling: The year will be filled with a lot of games. We’re touring to South Africa, we also have a couple of home series and there’s also the T20 World Cup in November. People are eager to watch us play now and it’s important for us to continue doing well. I want to be able to do well and contribute in a game — this will be my ultimate goal, not just now, but till the time I play for India or any other team.
Veda Krishnamurthy, Cricketer
2017 highs: The World Cup is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. It was a dream run for us and I’m falling short of words to describe the experience. We, as a team, dreamt of doing something big to get recognised, and hoped to come back to India to people who had start watching women’s cricket, I think we’ve achieved that. Personally, my innings against New Zealand which changed the whole picture, put us in a commanding situation and took us to the semi-finals is very close to me.
Shraddha Srinath, Actress
There’s no stopping this pretty hudugi who’s not only making her presence felt in Sandalwood, but has also stepped into the Tamil industry and is set to debut in Telugu films this year.
2018 calling: I look forward to debuting in the Telugu industry and some bigger, more challenging films in Kannada and Tamil. Personally, I’ll try to not miss birthdays and anniversaries of close family and friends. I’d also like to travel more, say yes to things more often and not make excuses.
2017 highs: The awards I got for U-Turn and my two hits — Operation Alamelamma and Vikram Vedha. Also, I learnt a lot from my two not so successful films Urvi and Richie.
Rishi, Actor
His debut was one of the best ones the Kannada industry saw last year. Having impressed audiences with Operation Alamelamma, Rishi’s definitely a star in the making.
2018 calling: I’m shooting for Kavaludaari, so I have to be more responsible with my choice of films. As OA did so well, I have so much gratitude within me and I want to do something for society. I will be more active with social causes, which is something I’ve always been. Also, people outside our industry recognise the new wave in Kannada cinema and the content-driven films we’re doing, so we should keep the momentum going. I want to be part of films that we are proud of and am excited to see what’s in store for me.
2017 highs: As Operation Alamelamma was a huge success, a lot of opportunities are coming my way and big industry people have expressed their interest to work with me and that’s really flattering for a newcomer like me.
Nikitha Narayan, Actress
She may have debuted in Tollywood, but life got more exciting for this Kannadathi last year as she starred in Yogaraj Bhat’s hit Mugulu Nage.
2018 calling: I don’t want to be typecast in one role, I’d like to play a range of characters — from a village belle to starring in period films and thrillers. I want to be a part of new-age cinema that KFI is seeing. The year has started on a great note as I performed on New Year’s Eve as well, and will be busy with a calendar shoot later. I hope to have a busy year. Personally, I want to start a business on my own and also work towards getting fitter.
2017 highs: Mugulu Nage was a big film that’s taken my career to the next level. Though people know me in Andhra Pradesh, I wasn’t really a known face here. But now, people have started recognising me at malls, airports and have told me that they’ve found my acting refreshing. Personally, I went on a lot of holidays — so, that was exciting.
