Raashi Khanna is one of the most promising young heroines in the Industry today. She made her acting debut with John Abraham’s ‘Madras Cafe’. But in Telugu, it was Srinivas Avasarala’s ‘Oohalu Gusagusalade’ that made her very popular.
Raashi Khanna comes across as a very smart woman and she has been making some good career choices. Her next film is ‘Jil’ and she will be seen as Savithri in this movie. We caught up with this gorgeous actress for an exclusive interview. Read on to see what she has to say about her career and her upcoming films.
RD : It is a pretty routine question but we have to ask this. How are you feeling about your upcoming release?
Raashi : (Smiles) I think we have delivered a great product as a team. There are all elements that are required for an entertainer. I am not an action person but I just loved the scenes in this movie. The rain fight will stand out. It is WOW.
I am confident that it will do well. We want people to walk out with a smile.
RD : Can you tell us something about your character?
Raashi : I am playing the role of Savithri, who is a very bubbly but traditional girl. It is a very character driven role.
RD : Compared to your previous films, you seem to have upped the glamour quotient for Jil. How much of a challenge was this?
Raashi : Acting for this role was a bit challenging. This is because Savithri’s character is very bubbly but I am not as bubbly in real life. As for the glamour, you will see that it is limited to the songs mainly. I had nothing in my mind while accepting this role.There was no agenda to be glamorous to change my image.
RD : You’ve studied in Lady Shri Ram and you grew up in Delhi. So, how much of a culture shock was Tollywood?
Raashi : Not really a culture shock. I’ve done English Honours in LSR and we read a lot of books during the course. That education opened my mind and when that happens, nothing can come as a culture shock. My course was very close to what I am doing now. We used to do character analysis, to understand why a character was behaving in a certain way. That is helping me now.
RD : Is there a comfort zone for you? What kind of scenes do you enjoy doing?
Raashi : I don’t want to define a comfort zone. All I can say is that if something fits the script, I am ok for it. I take a stand for certain things and will not do them. For example, the much talked about lip lock is actually a very poetic thing. That is how we saw it. When people walk out of the film, they won’t even remember the lip lock. It was a way of expressing a very pure form of love.
RD : As an actress, what kind of films would you like to do?
Raashi : I want every film of mine to be different from my previous one. But honestly, things are not completely in my mind. I just don’t want to be typecast. I wish writers can pen more impactful characters for women. At the end of the day,we are actors. Glamour alone cannot sustain you for years to come. Even if the character is very small, it should have some impact.
RD : When a director pitches a role to you, what do you look for?
Raashi : I ask a lot of questions when the director pitches a role. I want to know how important the character is to the director. How is she going to talk. Are there any specific mannerisms or character traits? I don’t want to be myself in the character. I want to be the character.
This is what I see whenever someone comes to me with a role.
RD : How does your family react to all this glamour ?
Raashi : I have the most amazing Parents, Bhayya and Bhabhi. They support me a lot and trust my judgement. My father keeps saying, “I have given you my values. Now do what you want to do and learn from your mistakes”. My father is so confident about the values he’s instilled in me and I respect that I lot. They give me a lot of freedom and it is an understanding we have.
RD : How do you unwind at the end of a busy day?
Raashi : (Laughs) I go to the spa. I also read a lot. Reading takes my mind off a lot of things. I also watch some American TV Shows. One show I love is New Girl. It makes me happy. I also love to sing and I start singing suddenly in the middle of nowhere.
RD : Will you say yes to a big budget TV show, like the American TV Shows you like?
Raashi : Nobody can plan for things that happen in the future. I am open to anything. As and when it suits my needs,I will do what interests me.
RD : How do you like Hyderabad?
Raashi : (Face lights up) I just love Hyderabad and I would like to settle down here. When I was in Mumbai, I used to crib about missing Delhi. But now, Hyderabad is my favourite place.
RD : How good is your Telugu? Are you picking up the local language?
Raashi : Yes. I am 60% there. I try and form sentences like a first standard kid (laughs).
RD : What kind of a co-star is Gopichand?
Raashi : He is a very humble and down to earth guy and I wonder if he even knows what a big movie star he is. He does not get angry on sets and I actually asked him once about his secret to remaining so calm. He is very supportive and tries to bring out the best from his co-stars. He wants everything to be a collective effort. It was very comfortable working with him.
RD : Was it challenging to work with a new director?
Raashi : I never felt Radha sir was a newcomer. It doesn’t look like this is his first film. He is so much at ease and he knows what he wants. It was nice working with him and I learnt a lot from him.
RD : What projects are you working on right now?
Raashi : I am working with Bengal Tiger, with Ravi Teja. That is the only confirmed project as of now. I am listening to other scripts and some projects are in the pipeline.
RD : Anything you would like to say to your fans and well wishers?
Raashi : I want to thank them a lot. They have given me some beautiful comments and welcomed me so openly. It is a great feeling and I would never want to disappoint them. I want them to remember me as an actor and not just for my glamour. I hope I can do that.
