'There are no boundaries for me'

Challenging roles

Actress Rajshri Ponnappa has not acted in a lot of movies but she’s happy with what she has and seems to enjoy every moment as it comes. Metrolife talks to her about her career, and more.

She says, “I made a transition to this industry last year. I had debuted in the Malayalam movie Pithavinum Putranum Parishudhathmavinum and then came Reji Nair’s Aram. Currently, I’m doing ‘Paro wife of Devdas’ in Kannada, and two Tamil films, one of which is a bi-lingual.”

Ask Rajshri about her most challenging role, and she answers, “Each one of my movies were challenging. I always wanted to do women-oriented roles and roles that tested my acting ability.”

She adds, “The first one was a brilliant subject being a serious and de-glamourised role. Aram was a psycho thriller, and was a very different experience. After these movies, I wanted a change and that’s when ‘Paro wife of Devdas’ opposite Srinagar Kitty came along. This is a film, which has a lot of dancing, and the character Sukanya appeals to me a lot. She’s an NRI and today’s girl, very practical and stylish, and a role I’m excited to do.”

Despite being a Kannadiga, Rajshri started her career in another industry. Prod her about the offers she’s got from other industries, and she replies, “I’ve got scripts from various industries. I owe that to a magazine that put me on the cover page, and brought me to the spotlight. People wanted to know who I was and offers came in from Bollywood too. But right now, I’m focussing on finishing the projects that I have at the moment.”

Having acted more in other industries than in Sandalwood, Rajshri opines, “For an artiste, there is no language; it’s all about expression. There are no boundaries for me. It doesn’t matter if it’s Sandalwood, Bollywood or even Hollywood for that
matter.”

What is Rajshri’s dream role? She’s quick to reply, “I’m a very bubbly and chirpy person. I am the ‘Jab We Met’ type of girl, and my friends often tell me that if there’s ever a re-make, I should definitely do it.

Apart from acting, Rajshri’s other passion is fitness. “It’s not the fad about being fit. Gyms and workouts have been a part of my life much before cinema happened. It’s not about having an attractive body; it’s more about staying fit. I used to have a lot of health issues but now, I’m much better thanks to the workouts,” Rajshri details.
“I like to read and I always have a book by my side when I’m travelling. I also love dance. I’ve learnt salsa and I had studied bharatanatyam as a kid,” she says about her other interests.

So how different is dancing in movies from dancing on stage? “Dancing on stage takes more effort. One has to have a lot of energy and has to be in sync with the whole team. But in movies, you get to do retakes and there’s always another chance to redo the scene, which makes it much easier and much liberated,” says Rajshri.

Any rules to follow in the film industry? The actress goes on, “In the beginning, I was very confused and was always looking for the right formula for success. One of my favourite artistes then told me to just follow my heart. If something happens tomorrow, you’ll always be able to justify it to yourself. Everyone has had a flop and hit but it’s about following what you desire that matters.”