Ashika Ranganath is Shashank’s choice for Thayige Takka Magga

Director Shashank has always been known for his perfect casting, especially when it comes to choosing his film’s heroine. He takes time to decide on the artiste, and says that while the director is the brain of the film, the actor is its face.

“We are behind the scenes, and the film reaches the audience through them,” he tells CE. “So it is important for a filmmaker to have the right actors who fit the character.”

For his first production venture Thayige Takka Maga, starring Krishna Ajai Rao and directed by Ved Guru, the team had recently finalised Sumalatha to play mother to the hero. Now, they have chosen the film’s heroine too. After a few rounds of auditions with newcomers and well-known actresses, they've decided to rope in Ashika Ranganath. The two lead actors will be paired for the first time on big screen.

Shashank says that since Sumalatha and Ajai play ‘rebel’ mother and son, he wanted to strike a contrast with the heroine. “Therefore I decided on Ashika, who appears orthodox and tender. She is talented and therefore has the right mix of everything,” he says.

Interestingly, Shashank was the first director to audition Ashika for his last film Mungaru Male 2. But, then he found her too young for the role. “I actually wanted to introduce her in Kannada, but that didn’t happen. Now she has the experience of working on three to four films,” he says.

With the cast in place, the shoot for the film should start from December 8. “It will be done in Bengaluru and, if necessary, we might shoot a song abroad,” says Shashank, adding that this is yet to be decided.