Manasa Sharma is gearing up for her directorial debut with Rakasa, starring Sangeeth Soban and Nayan Sarika in the lead roles. Produced by Niharika Konidela under Pink Elephant Pictures, the film is set to release in theatres on April 3. Before transitioning into feature films, Manasa worked in the digital space, creating and writing projects such as Oka Chinna Family Story and directing the web series Bench Life.
Hailing from Srikakulam, Manasa, with a humble beginning on YouTube, says her baby steps towards films were gradual and natural. “I started with Mad House, a YouTube web series, and then worked on Oka Chinna Family Story and Bench Life. Rakasa is a natural progression for me,” she quips, reflecting on her growth in the industry.
Regarding Rakasa, Manasa describes it as a fantasy adventure that blends comedy and emotion. “The film has strong fantasy elements, and the title refers to ‘Rakshasudu’ (demon). But it’s not just about that — it’s a layered story with entertaining aspects,” she explains. She reveals that her interest in fantasy storytelling dates back to earlier ideas she had pitched to Netflix. “They liked one of my fantasy concepts. Later, when I met Sangeeth, I narrated another idea, and he immediately connected with it. That’s how he came on board,” she adds.
Making a fantasy film often comes with budget challenges, but Manasa says careful planning helped them manage it efficiently. “The second half of the film is heavily driven by fantasy. So we decided to shoot those portions first. We had a VFX supervisor present during the shoot, and we gave enough time for post-production work. That made a big difference,” she says. She further states that the series-to-film transition was seamless. “The process is similar, but films come with greater responsibility. Having some recognition in the OTT space helped us secure a good deal for Rakasa,” she notes.
Manasa had a lot of good things to say about the lead actors. Speaking about Nayan Sarika, she says, “She is a director’s actor and a very strong performer. I had worked with her earlier, so I was confident about her capabilities.” She also recalled how quickly Niharika Konidela came on board. I narrated the story to her, and within 20 minutes, she said yes. That kind of trust is very encouraging,” she says.
While there have been a few recent films set in rural fantasy backdrops, Manasa is confident that Rakasa stands apart. “This film offers a fresh visual experience. It’s like a Chandamama-style story, but presented with modern filmmaking techniques,” she explains. Manasa credits veteran filmmaker B Vittalacharya as her inspiration. “This generation may not know him, but I grew up watching his films with my grandmother. His ability to create magical fantasy worlds without advanced technology inspired me a lot,” she says. She adds that today’s filmmakers have the advantage of better tools. “With the kind of technology available now, we can take that imagination to another level,” she notes.
Manasa is positive about exploring folklore in the future. “If I find the right story, I would definitely love to make a full-fledged folklore film,” she shares. She also spoke about her experience working with Niharika and her team. “Pink Elephant Pictures has a very efficient production system. They don’t delay projects, and everything is executed on time and within budget. That support really helped us complete Rakasa smoothly.”
Opening up about her personal journey, Manasa says she always wanted to become a director. “I left my job and financial stability to pursue this dream. Writing and storytelling brought me here. I want to make films that satisfy producers and entertain audiences,” she says. Talking about Sangeeth Soban, she describes him as a thoughtful and aware actor. “He may not interfere in the writing process, but he does share his opinions. He understands his strengths and carefully chooses roles. I listen to everyone’s input, but I take the final call based on what suits the story,” she elaborates.
Manasa concludes by saying that audiences will get a better understanding of the film with the upcoming trailer. “We will reveal more about the story soon. Once the trailer is out, people will know what kind of film Rakasa is,” she says, expressing confidence in her debut project.