Rashmitha Gowda: Dance was my first stage, but cinema feels like my new canvas
Rashmitha Gowda, who has lived and breathed Bharatanatyam since the age of six, is ready to test the waters of cinema with Arasayyana Prema Prasanga, releasing on September 19. She stars opposite comedian-turned-hero Mahantesh Hiremath in a film directed by debutant JVR Deepu, and produced by Meghashree Rajesh under Raj Kamala Pictures. While her team hails from a strong theatre background, Rashmitha’s own artistic journey has largely been rooted in dance and modelling, until cinema came calling.
“I always thought my world would be Bharatanatyam. I trained for 24 years, and dance was my identity. I was certain I would remain a dancer,” says Rashmitha, reflecting on her long artistic path. Modelling, however, opened new doors. “During my 11th or 12th grade, I got attracted to beauty pageants. Aishwarya Rai inspired me, and I thought of giving it a try. I became Miss Chikkamagaluru, which led to titles like Miss Queen of India and Miss Universe India finalist in 2017, where I made it to the top 30. That was how my modeling career began.”
Cinema, she admits, wasn’t an immediate dream. “One film connection happened earlier, but it never took off. But that’s when I met Mahantesh Hiremath, and destiny had its way,” she shares.
For Rashmitha, her debut isn’t about glamour or working opposite a star but about honesty to the role. “I don’t look at films as working with a star or a banner. For me, it is all about bringing life to a character. I grew up inspired by Dr Rajkumar, and Sagara Sangama, which was about dance, remains my favourite film. Those films taught me that performance lives beyond stardom. I want to explore both worlds, commercial and critical cinema,” says Rashmitha.
In Arasayyana Prema Prasanga, she plays Kumari, a postal assistant in a village. “She is posted in the same place where Arasayya, played by Mahantesh, has his own journey. On the surface, she is part of his matrimonial story, but there is more depth to Kumari. Her character completes Arasayya, yet she has her own strength.”
Rashmitha credits her team for giving her confidence. “Working with Deepu was wonderful. He has tremendous potential. The way he narrated the story made me understand Kumari better. He is calm, composed, and honestly a better actor too. I couldn’t have asked for a better debut,” she says.
About her co-star, she adds, “Mahantesh is natural. Without much experience myself, I observed how he slipped into characters with ease, and it was inspiring. Sharing the screen with him was a good journey.”
As the release nears, Rashmitha opines, “Dance was my first stage, but cinema feels like my new canvas. I’m eager to see how audiences connect with Kumari and me as an actor, before I take the next step."
