Chandini Chowdhury pins hopes on Manu

After making her presence felt in Life is Beautiful and Prema Ishq Kadhal, Chandini Chowdary's roles as the lead in Ketugadu, Kundanapu Bomma, Shamantakamani and Howrah Bridge proved to be insignificant. However, the actor is in no mood to give up. “I’m quite happy with my career and have absolutely no regrets for not making it big. Despite winning critical acclaim for my performances in a slew of films, I should admit that commercial success still eludes me. But the road to stardom is never easy, and I'm willing to work hard and be patient,” says Chandini, who awaits the release of mystery-thriller Manu. Also starring Raja Gautam, the film is scheduled for release on September 7.

The Visakhapatnam girl says her role in this film gave her ample scope to showcase her acting talent. “I will be seen as Neela, a simple girl leading a simple life. I tried to perform naturally without applying any makeup and I never used glycerin while shooting the emotional scenes. I was in awe of the role and spent weeks in a specially constructed set in the outskirts of Miyapur to get my act right.”

Revealing that she attended an acting workshop for the film, Chandini says, “For the first time, I attended a 45-day workshop to prepare for my role. I believe this will be a career-defining performance from me.”

The film’s director Phanindra Narisetty has spearheaded the crowdfunding campaign for Manu. "Phanindra had the script of Manu but fell short of finances to take the project forward. A post on his Facebook wall seeking the support of people worked wonders for us, and eventually, Manu has become a crowd-funded film,” recalls Chandini.

The film has been in the making for over two years. Clarifying on the delay, she says, “About 80 per cent of the film was shot indoors. Phanindra took ample time to complete the shoot as he is someone who doesn’t compromise on the quality. Adding to that, the film was shot in the outskirts of the city (Hyderabad) where there is mosquito menace. The entire unit fell ill causing further delay in the shooting schedule.”

The actor has pinned her hopes on the film. “Manu is going to be that film which will prove my worth as an actor. I wish this film stands out as a winner,” adds Chandini, who is in no hurry to sign her next film.