For audiences who first noticed her earthy presence in Kantara, actor Sapthami Gowda returns to familiar terrain with The Rise of Ashoka. Set in the 1970s, the village drama is headlined by Ninasam Sathish. The character is different, she says. This time, she plays Ambika, a flower seller who has studied till the 10th standard, a woman whose quiet resolve shapes the emotional spine of the story. “Ambika moves with the situation life brings her. Her strength is in the choices she makes,” Sapthami says, noting that the film places the heroine on equal footing with the hero. According to her, the narrative hinges on how Ambika’s decisions and sacrifices gradually build Ashoka’s confidence, creating a relationship dynamic rooted in mutual growth. She hints at an emotionally charged stretch around the interval and a powerful climax, moments she believes carry the character and the film’s core.
Sapthami says slipping into the rural milieu felt instinctive rather than studied. “I grew up watching village festivities, and even today many places are not fully modernised, so I didn’t feel like an outsider,” she explains, adding that the social system explored in the film offered something new to engage with. Known for choosing roles that feel fresh, she maintains that substance remains her only criterion. “I can be at the forefront, but the character must have depth. Irrespective of modern or rural, a film should feel relevant to the audience,” she says. Up next, she will share screen space with Dhananjay in Halagali, continuing to be part of the subject, where rooted narratives meet newer emotional notes. Substance is my only filter," she concludes.