Rashmika Mandanna’s career continues its rapid ascent, solidified by her recent success in the film “Thamma.” The movie, starring Mandanna and Ayushmann Khurrana, has reportedly joined the prestigious 100 crore club, equating to over $12 million USD at the box office. Following this achievement, Mandanna offered insights into her acting process and the unique challenges presented by her role in the film.
In “Thamma,” Mandanna portrayed a character named ‘Tadka,’ a role she found particularly demanding. The actress recently opened up in an interview with PTI, describing the part as distinct from anything she had previously tackled. “Tadka” was not a human character, which required Mandanna to approach her performance from an entirely different perspective.
Mandanna explained her desire to explore roles with diverse emotional and acting ranges. She stated that when the offer for “Tadka” came, its unusual nature immediately appealed to her. She specifically recalled asking the filmmakers for guidance on portraying a non-human character, seeking direction on how to convey feelings within such a unique framework. The actress emphasized her reliance on a director’s vision, believing it allows her to deliver the best possible performance by seeing the film through their eyes.
The complexity of “Tadka” stemmed from the character’s unfamiliarity with basic human emotions like crying, laughing, and feeling. Mandanna elaborated that “Tadka” learned by mimicking Ayushmann’s character, Alok, due to having lived in the jungle for an extended period. Mandanna credited the entire team for their extensive support in helping her bring such an unconventional role to life.
Beyond her work on set, Mandanna also revealed a candid post-release ritual: reading film reviews. She admitted that it would be untrue to claim she doesn’t read them, indicating a genuine interest in audience perception. Her approach to film selection is equally rooted in the audience experience, as she chooses projects she would personally enjoy watching as a viewer. Mandanna affirmed that she has no regrets about turning down films that didn’t resonate with her in this capacity.
Looking ahead, Mandanna is set to appear in “Girlfriend,” a South Indian production. The film, described as having a distinctive storyline, is slated for release on November 7.