Actor Sanjana Anand, who is currently awaiting the release of Ekka, is still basking in the unexpected love pouring in for the peppy number 'Bangle Bangari'. The song, which began trending soon after its release, even surprised her.
“There are times when we expect a lot from certain songs, grand sets, heavy choreography, dancers, everything,” Sanjana says, adding, “But Bangle Bangari was shot in just three days, and yet it struck a chord. Charan Raj’s music, Anthony Daasan’s voice, it just clicked. We didn’t expect it to trend like that, but magic often happens in the simplest ways. And now, I’m finding my groove in Ekka, after the success of 'Bangle Bangari'.”
Backed by PRK Productions, Jayanna Films, and KRG Studios, and with cinematography by Satya Hegde, Sanjana is confident that the impact of Ekka won’t stop at just the music. The film, which also stars Yuva Rajkumar in the lead and features Sampada, includes two strong female characters, each with their own journey.
“Yes, Sampada and I play parallel leads. However, there’s no question of who’s the first or second heroine. Our characters—representing Moggu and Mruga—are essential to the story. I really enjoyed the process of becoming this character. It wasn’t easy, but it was so fulfilling. There were scenes shot in narrow slums, where there wasn’t even space for caravans. We sat in parked vehicles, in the middle of crowds, sometimes watching ourselves being watched. It was raw, real, and oddly beautiful.”
Sanjana shares that working with debutant Yuva Rajkumar was a refreshing experience. “He was grounded from the first day, calm, focused, and incredibly supportive. There was never a sense of him being from the Rajkumar family. He was one of us, no airs, no drama, just passion.”
Sanjana also heaps praise on director Rohit Padaki, who, she says, had a very different approach to storytelling. “Unlike other films, where dialogues are delivered in parts, Rohit sir preferred long takes. If a scene had five pages of dialogue, he wanted it in a single flow. Even if it took half a day of rehearsals, he never wanted the emotional rhythm to break. That method helped us as actors, there was a flow, an honesty.”
Despite facing logistical challenges, Ekka was wrapped on schedule. “The preparation was solid. The director’s team was fantastic. There was no wasted time. Unlike some films where we wait for months and momentum is lost, Ekka moved swiftly, and that rhythm helped us stay connected to our roles.”
Now, Sanjana is balancing projects in both Kannada and Telugu. “I’m juggling scripts in both languages and hoping to finalise two exciting projects soon,” she concludes.
