Nimika Ratnakar’s journey has been anything but hasty. It has been patient, steady, and shaped by choices that often went against the tide. She openly admits that the song ‘Pushpavati’ from Darshan’s Kranthi changed everything for her. “It is rare for one song to change an actor’s life. ‘Pushpavati’ gave me the visibility I was expecting. When people call me Pushpavati, it is beyond words, and the support from Darshan’s fans, since then, feels unconditional.”
That recognition, however, brought a new conundrum. Offers flooded from Kannada and Telugu cinema, but most were for dance numbers. “Everyone wanted me only for songs. I did not come here for that,” she says. “I could have continued dancing. It pays well, but I came to be an actor. Choosing the right films took time. My patience has paid off, and today the projects I have reflect that.”
The projects include director Om Prakash Rao’s Phoenix, which she describes as a unique role, his Guerrilla War, starring Upendra, and Wild Tiger Safari. She is currently focused on Flirt, hitting theatres on November 28, a film that immerses her in a space of romance, confusion, and emotional shifts.
Flirt marks Chandan Kumar’s directorial debut, where he also stars as one of the leads. Nimika says the role offered two distinct aspects that immediately drew her in. “Chandan was clear about what he wanted. There were scenes where he asked me to tone everything down. I was confused during the first narrations, and it took three or four rounds to understand the rhythm. When I watched the film later, it looked very clean.”
She believes the story’s strength lies in the interactions between Chandan, Girish Shivanna, and her. “The second half especially pushed me. All our arcs become stronger as the story develops.”
When asked what Flirt means to her, she explains, “It begins with eye contact and a small spark. That is the surface. When you go deeper, the layers change.”
How does her character influence the shift between romance and bromance? She says, “There is always friction between a lover and a friend. The film captures that shift beautifully.”
The film also stars Shruti, Sadhu Kokila, Rangayana Raghu, Vinay Gowda, and Akshita Bopaiah in pivotal roles, with Jassie Gift as the composer and HC Venu handling cinematography.
Her one-line summary is straightforward. “It’s a mix of romance, confusion, friendship, a twist, and the final climax in Flirt makes you think."
