Priya Bhavani Shankar on ‘Irumudi’: It will be among the best Telugu films in recent years

Call it instinct or the knack of identifying a script that holds promise, actor Priya Bhavani Shankar exudes confidence when she talks about Irumudi. “It will be among the best Telugu films in recent years,” she says about the film directed by Shiva Nirvana and starring Ravi Teja, releasing in theatres on August 21.

Priya is a familiar face in Telugu cinema, having acted in Kalyanam Kamaneeyam, Zebra, and the Dhootha web series, though Tamil cinema has been her mainstay. “My effort has always been to choose films where my character is significant to the story, irrespective of the screentime. I’ve consciously avoided decorative characters. Some films may have worked, others may not have, but my effort has been constant.”

Irumudi came her way through the production house, Mythri Movie Makers. “I liked the story narrated by Shiva Nirvana and had a long discussion with him. It was evident that the story revolves around the father-daughter bond shared by Ravi Teja and Nakshatra’s characters. I was concerned that my character might be rendered invisible. Shiva was receptive to my thoughts and when we arrived at a consensus, I came on board.”

She describes her character, Kaveri, as an antithesis to her real-life personality. “It is a rural family drama and we often hear about women like Kaveri who are docile and naive. She is also the grounding force when there is too much drama between the father and the daughter,” says Priya. On a fun note, she shares her mother’s observations during the film’s promotions. “I had to draw the muggu with Suma Kanakala, in the video. My mom found that amusing since I rarely do it in reality.”

Irumudi was filmed in Sileru in Andhra Pradesh, and Priya learnt her Telugu dialogues and also dubbed for it. She hastens to add that she is not sure if her version, as opposed to the one by the dubbing artiste, will make it to the final cut. “The director will take a call on which suits the film best.”

Ravi Teja and Priya Bhavani Shankar on the sets of ‘Irumudi’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Currently working on the sequel to Dhootha, apart from the Tamil films Demonte Colony 3 and Maragadha Nanayam 2, Priya acknowledges that her nine-year journey in cinema has whizzed past with a speed that she could not keep track of. 

“Media and cinema were not in my scheme of things,” she recalls. While in the second year of engineering, she began working as a part-time reporter with NDTV-Hindu and later joined the Tamil channel Puthiya Thalaimurai as a reporter and news presenter. “I was never scared of the camera.”

She then landed an acting opportunity for a Tamil television serial. “The transition from news reporting to acting was tricky. For a year, I made mistakes and learnt acting since I had never been to a film school or taken acting classes.”

Director Shiva Nirvana and Priya Bhavani Shankar
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Even at that point, she says cinema was not on her radar. “I grew up in a family that barely watched one or two films a year. An early childhood memory is watching Captain Prabhakaran in theatres. My dad was a fan of actor Vijayakanth and we watched some of his films.” 

Priya debuted in Tamil cinema with Meyaadha Maan in 2017 and says she took it one day at a time. “My focus was to enjoy the process of acting. I did not want to prove anything to anyone.” While she sought roles that gave her scope to perform, visibility was also a driving factor.

To date, she also factors in whether the production house backing a film has the potential to take the film to the theatres. “I have worked with several debut directors and have enjoyed the experience. I am also aware that an able production and distribution network is essential to ensure our film reaches the audience. The script and clarity with which a director envisions it are the primary reasons to choose a film, but I also give importance to the production house.”

In the last nine years, Priya says she learnt to assess scripts better as she evolved. “I am not embarrassed about any of my earlier films but I think I have evolved as a person and as an actor.”