From dreaming of being part of a Mani Ratnam film to sharing screen space with Telugu star Prabhas, Chaithra J Achar is entering an exciting phase in her career. The actor, who made her mark in Kannada cinema with Toby and Sapta Sagaradaache Ello: Side B, is now juggling projects in Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. In a candid chat with Bangalore Times, she talks about why her cameo in Mani Ratnam’s Inji Vellamis close to her heart, what she is learning from celebrated filmmakers, and why Malayalam and Hindi cinema are next on her radar. Excerpts:‘When the boss himself called me, I was on cloud nine’Being part of a Mani Ratnam film was a long-standing dream for Chaithra, and it came true when the filmmaker himself called her to offer a special role in Inji Vellam, whichalso stars Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi. “I cannot tell you how excited I am. When the boss himself called and said there was a role he wanted me to play, I was on cloud nine. I told him I would have played a tree in his film (laughs), and now that he was giving me a character, what more could I ask for?” she says.The opportunity was particularly meaningful for her as she reveals, “I had often been told dusky actresses may not get to play leading ladies. But kind people around me would tell me, ‘Don’t worry, there will always be a Mani Ratnam who will cast you in his film.’ So, when Mani Ratnam sir himself cast me, I can’t tell you how happy I was,” she says.The experience on set turned out to be as memorable as she had imagined. “He comes with so much dedication and excitement. If everyone is supposed to be on set at 6 am, he is there at 6 am. It is a treat to watch him work. I was grounded by the experience. You realise that you don’t have to take yourself too seriously. You do your work, put in all your hard work and let it speak for itself,” she says.Chaithra made the most of her time on set, choosing to stay on after makeup rather than return to her caravan. “I was the most talkative person on Mani Ratnam sir’s set because I knew I might never get that opportunity again. I had the best time working with him and everyone else,” she says, adding that sharing screen space with the film’s ensemble cast and having AR Rahman’s music in the mix made it even more special.BOX: ‘Prabhas sir is very appreciative of my work’Another major project in her current line-up is the Telugu film Fauzi, starring Prabhas. Describing the experience as unlike anything she has done before, she says, “There are a minimum of a thousand people working on the sets. The craftsmanship and the scale are something I have never seen or heard of before.”Chaithra was also impressed by the Baahubali actor’s humility and enthusiasm. “He is so appreciative of my work. Sometimes, after we have shot our portions, he tells me, ‘What is that? You are going to get whistles for your scenes. People are going to go mad.’ When he says things like that, it is so motivating. It encourages me to put in everything I have for the character,” she says.‘I take up whatever script gives me an adrenaline rush’With Kannada projects like Laila’s Sweet Dream, Strawberry, Uttarakaanda, along with other Tamil and Telugu films in her kitty, Chaithra is enjoying the opportunity of working with a range of filmmakers and exploring new storytelling styles. “Every filmmaker comes with the same passion. They have so much to offer to the art and craft. When you see them trying to bring an idea from their heads onto the screen, you get equally excited. The only difference, I think, is the language,” she says.The actor is also conscious of not being typecast. “I don’t want to take up similar roles. Once you do a horror film, everybody comes to you with another horror script. It is not that I am favouring any particular industry or language. I take up whatever gives me an adrenaline rush when I hear the script,” she says.‘I want to explore Malayalam and Hindi cinema’Chaithra is also keen to explore Malayalam and Hindi cinema. She has heard several Malayalam scripts but wants to improve her spoken Malayalam first. “I really need to brush up on my Malayalam-speaking skills, so I am working on that. Very soon, I hope to pick up something,” she says.Speaking of Hindi cinema, the actor reveals several production houses have approached her and a few meetings have taken place. However, some opportunities did not work out. “There are people who have an eye on me and are approaching me. I like the fact that my name is at least circulating, and I am looking forward to a nice script,” she says.
