The Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe is gearing up for its next chapter with Mahakali – The End Begins, and for Bhoomi Shetty, the film has become not another acting assignment. The actor, who plays the titular character, has spent nearly two years with the project and says the role came to her at a crucial point in her career.
“I have been in the industry for the last nine years. I started when I was around 18, and currently, I feel I am in the right space and at the right time. Mahakali happened when I was ready for something like this,” she says.
The role was not handed to her easily. Bhoomi went through auditions and a look test, followed by a month-long preparation process to achieve the appearance the makers wanted. The Bigg Boss Kannada Season 7 contestant who first caught attention with Ikkat and later made an unconventional move into Telugu cinema, landing a project of this scale has been a big leap.
“Getting a project or a role with a big budget and a production like this is not easy. There was a whole process of selection. I had to go through the audition, look test and preparation. It was not an easy process,” she says.
More importantly, playing Mahakali changed Bhoomi personally. She says the character made her look inward and reconnect with a sense of strength she had not consciously explored before.
“I was very tomboyish and never bothered about bringing out the femininity in me. But this character awakened my inner strength. To connect with her, with the divine, I had to connect with myself. We all have Shakti; we just have to channelise it,” she says.
Bhoomi is now in the final stages of filming, with patchwork remaining. She has also shared screen space with actors including Akshaye Khanna and Khushbu Sundar, an experience she describes as surreal.
“Khushbu is someone I grew up watching. To sit beside her, listen to her stories and hear her suggestions is surreal. I am genuinely grateful that this project happened to me,” she says.
For Bhoomi, Mahakali has also meant stepping outside her comfort zone. “Mahakali has helped me come out of my bubble. I started surrendering too,” she says.
She has consciously stayed away from taking up another project while working on the film, choosing instead to give the role her full attention. Outside the set, however, she keeps moving. “Either I am travelling or shooting, nothing in between,” she says.
The film, directed by Puja Aparna Kolluru and created by Prasanth Varma, is being produced by Riwaz Duggal under RKD Studios. It also stars Sriya Reddy, Rohit Saraf, Rakesh Bedi, Samuthirakani, Jitin Gulati, Rajat Kapoor, Murali Sharma, Nassar and Babloo Prithveeraj. The film is planned for release in Telugu, Hindi and, hopefully, Kannada.
For now, Bhoomi is simply waiting to see Mahakali reach the audience. “This character has everything I was looking for as an actor," she signs off.
