‘My character in MadhaGaja made me realise that agriculture is not an easy job’

For Ashika Ranganath, her role in MadhaGaja is not that of an average village belle. Talking to CE ahead of the December 3 release of the Sriimurali-starrer, Ashika says, “Pallavi is an educated girl who gets back to her roots. She takes up farming and this will be the attraction factor of this character.”

Backed by Umapathy Films, the Mahesh Kumar directorial marks Sriimurali’s first collaboration with Ashika. The latter shared that her role in MadhaGaja has the potential to impart a good message to the youth of her age. “Moreover, the director has created such a character in a commercial flick. I thought it was quite an interesting choice,” she says.

Ashika had a lot of inputs coming from the team about how she should carry this role. “Being a highly educated village girl in MadhaGaja, I had to get the dialect right. Secondly, they wanted me to sport a tan and wear mostly half sarees in earthy colours. Overall a lot of effort has gone into making Pallavi a memorable character. I am confident that the role will stand out,” explains Ashika.

Recalling the shooting process, Ashika shares her experiences of riding a rusted old bicycle, learning to hold an axe, getting into the muddy fields, sowing, riding a tractor, and ploughing. It wasn’t a character that Ashika could just go on sets and perform. “I had to practically learn farming and it was a first-of-its-kind experience for me. It was more like a task, and I learned it,” says Ashika, adding, “Hats off to the farmers who do this job on a daily basis. Agriculture is not an easy job.”

Apart from MadhaGaja, the actor has two more films -- Avatara Purusha and Raymo -- lined up for release. “I am glad that I am not being typecast. There won’t be repetition in the kind of roles I am playing. Thankfully, directors, who are approaching me, are portraying me in different shades,” she signs off.