Madhagaja is a hardcore commercial film, but my role has gravitas too, says Ashika Ranganath

Ashika Ranganath has two upcoming releases, which have her in roles that are as different as chalk and cheese. For starters, today, December 3), Madhagaja, which is Ashika’s first film with a big star, Roaring Star Sriimurali, hits screens, which she follows up with the Sharan-starrer Avatara Purusha Part 1. And although she has been busy shooting for different films since lockdown relaxations came in, it is only now that she’s getting film releases. “Of course, audiences saw me in Kotigobba 3’s special number, but as a full-fledged role Madhagaja is the first,” she says, adding that after the uncertainty the pandemic threw up, she’s glad that things are normalizing for people in the film industry.

In the Mahesh Kumar directed Madhagaja, Ashika will be seen in a role that is a stark departure from her earlier work. As a first, Ashika plays a langa-dhavani clad village belle. “It’s a very different character for me, but I was very excited to take it up because I have always been portrayed as the cute girl-next-door or in modern, ultra-glam avatars. My role in Madhagaja is not completely deglam, but she is an educated girl, whose heart lies in farming and even works on the field. I truly believe that this character has a lot of gravitas in the whole scheme of things, even though Madhagaja is a full-fledged commercial entertainer, with a lot of action, drama, emotions, etc. The way director S Mahesh Kumar has written my role ensures that it stands out; it will stay with people even after they leave the theatre,” she says.

Madhagaja, she adds, is her first big commercial film. “It’s a big outing with me, considering it’s massive ensemble cast that includes prominent names from the Tamil and Telugu film industries as well. I have always been part of romances, family dramas, comedies and more light-hearted films, so, Madhagaja is well and truly my first mass film,” says Ashika.