Rashmika Mandanna on Pushpa: Watch the film not for the stars, but for the characters, performances and ambience

With the right mix of talent, good looks and luck, Rashmika Mandanna has managed to climbed the ladder in the Telugu film industry in record-speed, scoring hits and coming up with consistently impressive performances. If Chalo, Geetha Govindam, Sarileru Neekevvaru and Bheeshma helped her emerge a commercially bankable actress, it was a film like Dear Comdrade that tapped into the sensitive performer in her. Her next release is the pan-Indian film, Pushpa The Rise on December 17, where she shares screen space alongside Allu Arjun for the first time.

At the film's pre-release event held in Hyderabad on Sunday, Rashmika stated, "It's been so long since I've met you all (my fans), all thanks to COVID-19. When I notice such huge crowds for my film's event, I get all the more nervous. When Allu Arjun (garu) was attending the audio function of Geetha Govindam, I hoped I would get to star opposite him in a film sometime and it came true with Pushpa, where I got to play Srivalli."

"I constantly share why it's so special working with you (Allu Arjun) and what this experience of appearing on the screen with you means to me. This pre-release event is probably the only time where I get an opportunity to express myself. Bunny (sir), I love you. Thank you so much. I am extremely excited to return to sets and shoot for the second part. I have hardly met my parents over the last year and a half. I guess it's time for my director (Sukumar) to officially adopt me. I got to learn so much from him. I share a special rapport with Mythri Movie Makers (the production house) as well."

On a parting note, she added, "I hope at least 10% of audiences who watch Pushpa come for me. Don't come to Pushpa expecting to watch stars on the screen; you should watch it for the characters, performances. Sunil, Anasuya and all of us have special roles to play. The film will transport you into a different ambience and zone, for which the cinematographer Mirosław Kuba Brożek deserves ample credit. I am a fan of his already. If Srivalli is such a big hit today, it's because of his ability to understand the emotions, nuances in each of our characters. I know all the efforts that have gone behind Pushpa."

Pushpa The Rise, produced by Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar, releases in five languages on December 17 - Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil.