For Ghaati, Anushka Shetty has stepped out of her comfort zone. The culturally rooted action crime drama is directed by Krish Jagarlamudi, who has cast her in a multi-shaded character named Sheelavathi. Ghaati, produced by UV Creations and First Frame Entertainments, will head to theatres on September 5.
"Sheelavathi was challenging to play in a different way. I have previously played strong characters in films like Baahubali, Arundhati, Bhaagamathie, and Rudhrama Devi. Sheelavathi is strong in a different way," the actress says. The story of Ghaati was chanced upon when Krish and Anushka were trying to figure out if a standalone story as a continuation for Saroja in Vedam could be conceived. Once the idea was ready, they both were excited to flesh it out.
She hints that Sheelavathi represents the feminine energy in general. "Every woman, when pushed to the corner, can emerge as a strong force. Krish garu had that thinking in mind when he etched the character," the Size Zero and Nishabdham actress observes.
Since Ghaati was shot in locations that had never been explored by other films before, Anushka knew that the film would have a new visual aesthetic. The story is set in a tribal habitat bordering the States of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The film had to be shot in real locations, and therefore, Anushka was physically taxed during the production. The director's commitment made it easy for her, relatively.
The Vikramarkudu actress lauds Krish for not compromising on his themes. "Although there is a progressive message in Ghaati, it has been made as an action drama entertainer. Krish garu's movies have always conveyed something socially relevant," Anushka remarks.
Anushka shares screen space with Vikram Prabhu in the movie. "I have known him before. His Tamil movie Kumki is among my favourites," she says. "Besides the treatment, the cinematography and the music have brought freshness to this film. The music itself feels like a character. Krish garu wrote three songs for the film, and among them, I really love the phrase he used — ‘Kundeti Chukka’ (a shining star on the hill). With just a few simple words, he brings great depth to the story," the actress reflects.
"I will always remain grateful to my fans and audience. It is only because of visionary directors like Rajamouli sir, who presented films like Baahubali so magnificently, that my work has reached far and wide. When you do something good, recognition comes from all corners of the world. I consider this the true power of cinema. On this occasion, I would like to thank all the directors and producers who have given me such wonderful roles, from Arundhati till now," she adds.
Mahabharatham is her current reading. Anushka also reveals that she is debuting in Malayalam very soon. In Telugu, a new film is lined up, and it will be made official soon. The actress feels that she should portray an out-and-out negative character someday.
Ghaati, produced by UV Creations and First Frame Entertainments, will head to theatres on September 5. It also stars Jisshu Sengupta, Chaitanya Rao, Jagapathi Babu, VTV Ganesh, and others.
