'Raj B Shetty is not only a good director, but also a good actor'

Very few artistes are able to successfully transition from TV serials to the silver screen, but Kavitha Gowda is one of them. Known for her role in the serial, Lakshmi Baramma, she is now looking forward to the release of her second film, the Sujay Shastry-directed Gubbi Mele Brahmastra. Kavitha, who plays Purple Priya in her second outing, says, “It is probably a mix of my popularity and my acting ability that helped me enter the cinema industry.” 

She adds, “In fact, the director of my debut film, Srinivas Kalyana, had not even watched my serials. He considered me for the role after watching me on the reality game show, Super Minute. And it was while doing his film that I got to know Sujay Shastry, who happened to play an important role in Srinivas Kalyana. That’s when he told me, ‘Putty, if I am directing a film, I want you to be the lead actor’. Now, a couple of years later, he has turned to direction and I became a part of his project as promised. That’s how Gubbi Mele Brahmastra came about.”

This happens to be her second romantic comedy. And though Kavitha doesn’t mind working in commercial films, she is happy that filmmakers are allowing her to experiment with unique characterisations.

About the term ‘purple’ being tagged to her name Priya in Gubbi Mele Brahmastra, Kavitha only reveals that it is because the character likes everything of that colour. “Of course, the director has a reason for this, but he wants me to be tight-lipped about that for now. It will be revealed in the film,” she says, adding, “Otherwise, Priya is a sweet girl, who strikes a balance between love and hatred. How Priya and the colour purple change Gubbi’s life will be the thing to watch.”

Kavitha, who never went to any acting classes, says she learnt the craft only through watching films. “I am glad that filmmakers who approach me have the confidence that I can pull off a certain kind of a role. I am more a director’s actor.”

She feels it was a bonus to work with actor Raj B Shetty. “Raj is not just a good director, he is also a good actor. Romcoms usually have over-the-top acting, but Raj keeps things simple and makes it look very normal,” says Kavitha. As for Sujay Shastry, she terms him “an amazing actor, singer and theatre artiste who wanted to test his directorial skills.”

Though Kavitha is busy with a handful of films, she has not announced retirement from teleserials either. “I am an actor, and I have been offered films. But that does not mean I will quit the small screen. I will get back to television, but I don't know when,” she signs off.