In 8 Vasantalu, Ananthika Sanilkumar plays Shuddhi Ayodhya, a young woman who experiences many facets of love and sacrifice as she comes of age. The story revolves around Ayodhya’s life from ages 17 to 27. Ananthika, who herself is 19, doesn’t think of it as a big challenge to essay a character far older than her real self. She says, “I have been doing that since childhood. I have acted in plays where I played Parvathi, Sita, and even Rama-Raavana roles. When age didn’t matter there, why should it matter now? I don’t think of myself as too young for anything.”
Ananthika carries a strange blend of humility and confidence in her demeanor. She recalls being surprised when people liked her performance in the 2023 comedy MAD, where she played a spunky college girl. She says, “I didn’t like my acting, not even in one scene. I don’t know why people liked it so much. I was equally surprised when people called me later with film offers. I didn’t reply then.” Ananthika says that her 8 Vasantalu director Phanindra Narsetti showed great belief in her, adding, “I am not good at acting. I told Phanindra sir as well, but he had a lot of faith in me.” Ananthika also talks about the unexpected film offers that made her cautious about the pursuit. She explains, “If I have to do a film, it has to either be a strong character or something with a beautiful message. Which is why I want to be selective in my roles.” She mentions that she hasn’t signed anything else so far, adding, “After 8 Vasantalu releases, I will take my time to think and slowly choose a good Telugu project. I have time.”
Before 8 Vasantalu, Ananthika Sanilkumar headlined a student film titled Rajahmundry Rose Milk, which hasn't released yet, due to an internal conflict among the makers. The young actor reflects on the experience and why she feels blessed despite the setback. Ananthika notes, “It was a school film — there were a lot of auditions, many beautiful workshops, with many young students wanting to do a film and see themselves on a big screen. None of them are doing a film now. There was a boy who fought with his family to be in films. After all that struggle, the film didn’t release. I feel bad about it, and yet feel fortunate that I am getting to do some work.”
Ananthika candidly admits to having no particular fondness for movies while growing up. She adds, “When I used to watch films around the age of 7-8, I would wonder about the talents required to be an actor but that’s it. There was no big connection with cinema.” However, she spent her formative years learning various art forms, including bharatanatyam, karate, and kalayaripayattu. She casually mentions how she also took up tabla learning during her early teens before giving it up because she wasn’t good at it.
Ananthika talks about her parents’ support through her journey of learning, saying, “Martial arts is the only thing I learned because of my parents. More than fights, I am into gymnastics. I love kalarippayattu like anything. Even in 8 Vasantalu, we are using the Chinese art form of Weng Chun, which is integral to the story.” The actor talks about how her exploration of these art forms helps her pursuit of acting. She says, “I think of myself as an artist, as someone who loves to learn and experience everything. It brings you a sense of discipline. It changes the way we think and process things. The way an artist looks at the world is different from regular folk.”
Ananthika remembers being shocked when she found herself weeping during the script narration of 8 Vasantalu with Phanindra Narsetti. She further recalls, “I remember thinking, ‘Why am I crying for a story, for events that are not happening in my own life? I knew then I had to do this film. After signing 8 Vasantalu, I gave another audition, and it was a beautiful experience. That’s when I realised I really want to act. I got that clarity after 8 Vasantalu.” Further talking about the film, Ananthika says, “It might appear that 8 Vasantalu revolves around me, but all characters are important here and have many layers. This is a pure love story and relatable for all ages. I feel this film will change the way you perceive love.” Talking about her director Phanindra Narsetti, who is known for making indie experimental films, Ananthika says, “Phanindra sir loves to work and is very passionate about it. He knows a lot. Every day we learned something from him. He is like a guru to me.” Recalling how the shoot went smoothly, the actor adds, “I had no doubt during the shoot because Phanindra sir had an answer and clarity for everything during the script narration. The only challenge for me was learning Telugu dialogues.”
Ananthika mentions that she hasn’t watched any of her scenes in 8 Vasantalu. She says that she is now open to accepting all opinions about her work. “I am waiting for June 20. I dubbed for the first teaser of the film, but not everybody liked it. (laughs) Even after watching the film, some might say, ‘Why is she doing this?’ — and I am ready for criticism. I am confident, but I am also willing to improve,” she concludes.