“I Was in Tears After Watching Agadha; I Felt Extremely Happy” – Kamakshi Bhaskarla
“I Read Books on Buddhism and Learned About Black Magic for Agadha” – Kamakshi Bhaskarla
“I Was Happy That Senior Producer Shyam Prasad Reddy Compared Me With Anushka” – Kamakshi Bhaskarla
Kamakshi Bhaskarla has been steadily carving a niche for herself by choosing content-driven films and challenging roles. After making an impression with films such as Polimera, the actress is now gearing up for the release of Agadha, a mystic divine thriller directed by M.S. Raju.
Produced by Kashi Visalakshi Balusu under the Sri Adi Varaha Productions banner and presented by Ajay KR, Agadha features Shravan Reddy, Ulka Gupta, Jovika Vijaykumar, Bhanu Chander, Shiju, Vanitha Vijayakumar, Roshan Basheer, Shreya Rani Reddy, Viva Raghava, Robert Master, Arna Muller and Kanakavva in key roles.
Ahead of the film’s theatrical release on August 14, Kamakshi Bhaskarla interacted with the media and spoke about her challenging role as Mahadevi, the preparations she underwent, working with M.S. Raju, her journey in the film industry, and why she prefers portraying relatable women on screen.
Shyam Prasad Reddy compared you with Anushka. How did you feel about it?
I was extremely happy when such a senior producer compared me with Anushka garu. She is a wonderful actress, and being compared with her by someone like Shyam Prasad Reddy garu is a huge compliment. At the same time, it makes me feel more responsible as an actor. I have to work harder and prove that I deserve such appreciation.
Tell us about the costumes and overall look in Agadha.
Everything you see in Agadha comes from Raju garu’s vision. He wanted the world of the film to look completely different right from the beginning. The costumes were also designed according to that vision. Initially, I found it a little difficult to carry myself in that kind of saree and adapt to the look, but eventually I understood the character and became comfortable with it.
How did you prepare for the action sequences?
We conducted workshops and rehearsals well in advance. That preparation helped us a lot while shooting the action sequences. Of course, there are always minor difficulties on a film set, but the entire team worked extremely hard. Everyone supported one another, and that collective effort helped us achieve a good output.
What were the biggest challenges you faced while playing Mahadevi?
The biggest challenge was transforming myself completely for Mahadevi. I had to put Kamakshi aside and immerse myself in the character. I even had to temporarily set aside some of my own principles and thought processes to understand her world.
Mahadevi is a character who is born out of divine grace. I read books on Buddhism and also studied black magic to understand the world associated with the character. I carefully studied different mudras, her behaviour, body language and mannerisms.
My biggest effort was to ensure that Kamakshi Bhaskarla should not be visible anywhere in Mahadevi. I wanted audiences to see only Mahadevi when they watched the film.
How did you react when M.S. Raju garu approached you?
I have always liked M.S. Raju garu’s films. Manasantha Nuvve is one of my all-time favourites. So, when he called me for Agadha, I was naturally very excited.
He told me that he had watched my film Polimera. I have always admired the way he presents characters. The artistes in his films are usually given very powerful roles, and I really like that quality in his filmmaking. So, getting an opportunity to work with him was very special for me.
You became emotional while talking about your nine-year journey and female-centric films. What made you emotional?
When a male actor does a film, we rarely call it a “male-centric film.” But when a female actor carries a film, we immediately call it a “female-centric film.” I have always wondered why that distinction exists.
Women in our homes handle multiple responsibilities every day. They manage families, careers and many other things simultaneously. They are natural multitaskers. I often wondered why female characters on screen should not also be portrayed as independent and capable individuals.
Since 2019, I have been waiting for the right opportunities. I gave countless auditions, even for very small roles. I worked extremely hard to get opportunities in films.
Even today, I don’t own a car. I still travel on my bike. Now people recognise me on the roads and sometimes even follow me (laughs). Even when I travel in a vehicle provided by a production house, it feels special to me. We come from a middle-class family, so owning a car itself is a big achievement for us (laughs).
Were there any bitter experiences during your journey?
Yes, there were some difficult experiences. There were instances where people openly said, “She acted alongside Satyam Rajesh? Then no, we don’t want her.”
I don’t think an actor should be judged based on whom they have acted alongside. An artiste should be judged based on their performance and talent. I strongly believe that judging someone based on their co-stars is completely unfair.
Do you consider films like Polimera and Agadha a plus or a minus?
I don’t look at it that way. Even if two films belong to similar genres, the characters I play are completely different. My goal is to establish the confidence that Kamakshi can carry a film on her shoulders and take it forward.
Some films are made for financial reasons, while others are made because they give us creative satisfaction. I don’t categorise opportunities as big or small. For me, the character is the most important thing.
I have already signed my next film, which is a love story. Through that film, I want to break the perception that I am suitable only for films like Polimera and Agadha. I want to explore different genres and characters.
Why don’t you choose glamorous roles?
I don’t want to keep playing the same kind of character repeatedly. More importantly, I want to portray women who resemble the women we see around us.
When my family members watch me on screen, I want them to feel, “She looks just like me.” As a Telugu girl, I feel that if I don’t represent Telugu women on screen, then who will?
That is why I prefer portraying ordinary women rather than glamorous characters or queens. I want my characters to have a sense of familiarity and connect with audiences emotionally.
What made you immediately say yes to Agadha?
When Raju garu called me, I immediately felt that the film must have a fresh concept and that my character would be important. Since it was Raju garu, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.
After he narrated the story and explained Mahadevi’s character, I became even more interested. I don’t think too much about whether a film will succeed or fail. I enjoy the process of acting and learning.
Another major reason for accepting Agadha was the opportunity to work with M.S. Raju garu. I wanted to experience his filmmaking and understand his working style.
Is Agadha more of a horror film or a thriller?
I wouldn’t call it a typical horror film. There aren’t too many outright horror moments. It is more of a thrilling experience with a strong divine element.
There are several divine moments in the film, and by the time audiences reach the climax, I believe they will experience a strong divine feeling.
How was your experience working with the other artistes?
Everyone on our set was a wonderful artiste, and most of them have tremendous experience. Working with Bhanu Chander garu, Shiju garu and the other artistes was a great experience.
Every day on the sets was a learning experience for me. I observed their performances and learned many things from them.
How would you describe the technical aspects of Agadha?
Nani Chamidisetty garu’s cinematography has come out beautifully. He experimented with several things for this film and brought Raju garu’s vision to the screen very effectively.
The DI work is also fantastic. Rajeev garu’s artwork, the sets and particularly the Goddess idol look magical on screen.
The background score deserves special mention. No matter how much I speak about the RR, it won’t be enough. In several scenes, the background score has taken the impact to another level.
Have you put your medical profession on hold?
Yes. I have taken a break from it for now. At this point, I want to be in the film industry rather than continue there.
I want to represent ordinary women like me and bring their stories, emotions and lives to the screen. That is something I am very passionate about.
Do you have plans to direct films in the future?
I have already worked as an assistant director, associate director and also as part of writing teams. So, directing is definitely something I am interested in.
But I don’t want to rush into it. I don’t think I will direct immediately. It will take some time before I take that step. For now, I want to concentrate on acting and grow as an artiste.
How confident are you about Agadha?
I strongly believe that Agadha will be successful. More than anything, I want the film to become a blockbuster for Raju garu, especially because this is an important comeback for him.
I have already watched the film, and even I was surprised by several scenes. There were scenes that felt very normal while shooting, but when I saw the final output on screen, they looked completely different and impressive.
I was in tears during several portions of the film. Personally, I felt extremely happy after watching Agadha. I genuinely believe audiences will also connect with the film and experience something special in theatres.
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