Kashmir is an enchanting place: Sindhu Loknath

Despite challenges during shooting, the actress says she loved the scenic sights and the people there

Sindhu Loknath’s ‘Kaanadante Maayavadanu’, on hold for a while, will release soon. The actress is excited about a recent song shoot that happened in Kashmir, days before Article 370 was abrogated.

In a candid chat with Metrolife, she speaks about the film, her experiences during the shoot of the song, the beauty of Kashmir and more.

Tell us a bit about ‘Kaanadante Maayavadanu’.

It is a love story between a human being and a ghost. It is not a horror movie but a thriller, something in the supernatural romance genre.

Do you play the ghost? How different was it to work in this film?

I am not the ghost, Vikas is. Though I have done horror films earlier, this was a new experience. My character, Vandana works in an NGO. She is an orphan, a social activist and her characteristics are very similar to that of Vidya Balan in ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’.

Are you similar to Vandana?

Not at all. Vandana is a very subtle and mature person. She knows what she wants in life and cares a lot for everyone around her. I am not like her; I have hardly achieved 10 percent of what Vandana has.

The team just got back after shooting a song in Kashmir. Tell us about your stint in the place.

The song ‘Kaladuhoda Kaalidaasa’ is where the lead pair meet for the first time. The director Raj Pathipati and the crew was not sure about this song; one of the reasons for which was the length of the film. The cinematography of the song is mesmerising. We got back just days before Article 370 was revoked. We shot at Sonmarg, Doodhpathri and Dal Lake. Kashmir is an enchanting place.

The shoot was spread over five days and it was quite hectic. Every day we had to travel from our hotel to the snow-capped mountains; it was a lot of walking.The equipment was carried on horses while I trekked up.

We had to get up by 4 am daily and would continue shooting till 7.30 pm. The sheer effort we put in can be gauged from this. Another reason why the song is special is because it been sung by actor Puneeth Rajkumar.

Was it challenging to shoot in Kashmir?

The entire team barely slept for a few hours and the weather was quite unreliable too. But the scenic sights and the kind-hearted people there made our stay a pleasant experience. The food deserves a special mention; we had biryani all the time. People assume Kashmir to be an unsafe place. Even the taxi drivers there had apprehensions about our safety. But the places we shot at calm.