Priyanka Upendra is very patient: director Lohith

After ‘Mummy-Save Me’ in 2016, director Lohith H is back with a new film called ‘Devaki’ starring Priyanka Upendra. The film will also star her daughter Aishwarya Upendra.

‘Devaki’ was shot in Kolkata. This is the director’s second project with the actress, he says the script demanded an artiste of her stature. “It was very comfortable to work with her. She would be able to translate whatever I wrote down on to a scene. She is a tremendous artiste who never complained about anything, even on days when we had to shoot till 5 am,” says Lohith.

Lohith H

Praising the actress further, he adds, “No actors will be so co-operative. I have assisted in other movies but have never worked with someone who went out of the way to make sure that the project moved smoothly.”

“There is a scene set in a dump yard where Priyanka is looking for something. Even our cameraman was not able to stand the stench for more than five minutes at a stretch, but she finished the entire shot at one go, before moving on to the next one; that shows her commitment and patience.”

Priyanka Upendra plays the role of ‘Devaki’, a single parent, and her daughter Aishwarya plays the character Aradhya. “They are a contrast. While Priyanka ma’am is a director’s actor, Aishwarya is a lot like her father, Upendra sir. She asks a lot of questions and wants to know the exact details of why a scene is shot in a particular way,” says Lohith.

The film was initially named ‘Howrah Bridge’ and later renamed to ‘Devaki’. “While Howrah Bridge is an important character in the film, after seeing the first cut, I realised that ‘Devaki’ would suit the film better,” he says. The director is hoping to release the film in June.

“I am excited as a lot of experimental films are being produced in Sandalwood now,” he says.

Lohith’s ‘Mummy-Save Me’ was shot mainly on sets while ‘Devaki’ is set outdoors. “Shooting outdoors is a completely different experience. The crew faced a lot of communication issues; it was not easy to shoot the film in Kolkata. But Priyanka ma’am helped us as a lot as she speaks Bengali.”