With Rashmika Mandanna making her exit from Vrithra, debutant director Gautham Iyer has now replaced her with a new face - Nithyashri. Born in Chennai, and raised in Bengaluru, she is a Kannadiga at heart. The Mount Carmel college graduate comes from a theatre background and has done over 250 stage shows.

In addition to being an artiste and dancer, Nithyashri has also walked the ramp for various fashion shows. In her debut Kannada film, she will be playing an investigative officer. “I was part of Mani Ratnam’s directorial Kaatru Veliyidai and played the sister to hero Karthi. I was also associated with Bejoy Nambiar’s film, Solo, which starred Dulquer Salmaan. I assisted the director on the sets,” says Nithyashri, who has also played the lead in an upcoming international film, details of which the actor is unwilling to reveal. “It was shot in London and Sri Lanka, and is now in the post-production stage,” says the tight-lipped youngster. 

On replacing Rashmika, Nithyashri says that she does not know the reasons for the last-minute change.  “I can’t comment about that. All I can say is that I really liked the script that Gautham has written. It makes for a good commercial debut; it is new-age and edgy,” she says.