Actor Ananthika made her acting debut in 2022 with Rajahmundry Rose Milk, which hasn't been released yet. She later acted in Telugu films such as Mad and 8 Vasantalu. Though the latter didn’t become a commercial hit, Ananthika’s performance was praised by audiences and critics. She is now coming up with Romanchakam, which is hitting the screens on September 3. Venu Gopal Reddy is making his directorial debut with the film, while popular director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s brother Pranay Reddy is producing it under their Bhadrakali Pictures banner.
“After 8 Vasantalu, I heard so many stories, but I wanted to do a bubbly character with a slight difference. Then Romanchakam came to me," says Ananthika, who plays a Tamil girl in the film. “Romanchakam is a very youthful film.”
Talking about working with actor Sumanth, Ananthika says, “After my conversations with Sumanth, I realised that he is very talkative. We bonded really well, and it has worked well on screen."
Being a Malayali girl, Ananthika is now busy working in both Tamil and Telugu films. “In my Malayalam debut, all my portions were removed when the film was released. Later, I got another good offer, but at that time, I was doing 8 Vasantalu, so I couldn’t do the Malayalam film. If I get a chance, I will definitely do Malayalam films. I don’t want to stick to one language as I want to work in all languages,” says Ananthika.
When asked about her criteria for signing a new film, the actor asserts that the story is the most important factor. “I always give importance to the story and my role in it. If I like it, then I will sign the film,” says Ananthika, who is also pursuing LLB in Bengaluru. "I am balancing both my professional work and education."
The actor is also very fond of art forms. She has learnt the famous Kalaripayattu martial art form and Karate. She has also learnt Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam and Kathakali. “Since childhood, I have been interested in art forms because they are part of my life. I learnt dance forms and singing in the morning and Karate in the evening. Since childhood, I have always been fully occupied with these art forms. I don’t want to sit idle, so I've always wanted to do something, whether it's drawing, singing, or something related to the arts. I can’t even imagine my life without them, as these art forms have become an internal part of me,” says Ananthika.
Delving into some of her recent cinema choices, Ananthika says it stemmed from her desire to explore all genres. “I want strong characters that make an impact,” says the actor, who says Parimala and Co gave her the opportunity to learn from senior actors and felt the film offered a good balance of characters. “Jayaram Sir and Urvashi Madam are both seniors, and I wanted to learn from them. More than that, all the characters are very important in the film. Even though I played a small role, every character is very important,” says Ananthika.
Talking about Karate and Kalaripayattu, she said these art forms taught her discipline and focus. “It’s not about attacking someone; it is always about protecting myself. Even in self-defense, you can’t attack the other person. More than all that, these art forms give me balance, discipline and focus, both at work and personally. Definitely, they have helped me do better in my professional and personal life,” says Ananthika.
When asked about reports that she is part of Devi Sri Prasad-starrer Yellamma, she remains tight-lipped. Talking about her upcoming projects, she said she has signed a Tamil film and the shoot will begin next month. As for Telugu, she said there is another film in the pipeline, which the production house will announce.
The actor said she listens to the story first, then discusses it with her mother. “Yes, I tell the story to my mother, but I take the final call and decide whether to do a film or not,” she signs off.