‘Irumudi’ Has Thrills & Strong Emotions: Priya Bhavani Shankar”
Mass Maharaja Ravi Teja’s much-awaited film ‘Irumudi’ is gearing up for a grand theatrical release on August 21. Actress Priya Bhavani Shankar plays the female lead in this highly anticipated action thriller, directed by Siva Nirvana and produced by Mythri Movie Makers.
The film has already generated strong buzz with its glimpses, trailer and songs. Promising a blend of action, suspense and powerful family emotions, ‘Irumudi’ is expected to offer audiences a different kind of theatrical experience.
Ahead of the release, Priya Bhavani Shankar interacted with the media and shared interesting insights about her character, working with Ravi Teja and Siva Nirvana, the challenging shoot in Seeleru, the film’s emotional core and her upcoming projects.
What can audiences expect from your character Kaveri in ‘Irumudi’?
If you have watched the trailer, you would already have an idea about the story. Kaveri is a simple family woman whose entire world revolves around her husband and daughter. She takes great care of her family.
Playing Kaveri was a completely new experience for me because I have never played a character like this before. We see women like Kaveri around us in real life, and I have also met many such people. So, I feel this is a character that audiences will easily relate to.
What impressed you when Siva Nirvana narrated the story?
Siva Nirvana is a wonderful writer who creates beautiful stories and memorable characters. I really liked the story when he narrated it to me. I have also watched his earlier films, and ‘Ninnu Kori’ is one of my favourites.
I watch a lot of Telugu films, and one of the biggest strengths of ‘Irumudi’ is its universal emotional connect. The father-daughter emotion in the film can connect with audiences anywhere in the world. The relationship and emotions are universal, so I believe everyone will connect with these characters.
How was your experience working with Ravi Teja?
Ravi Teja garu is an actor with incredible energy. It is not easy to match his energy. I have watched many of his films, but when I worked with him, he appeared like a completely different person to me.
He is extremely down-to-earth and a great performer. Working with him was a wonderful experience, and I learned a lot during the process.
How was it working with director Siva Nirvana?
Siva Nirvana gives actors a lot of freedom. He discusses scenes with the actors and is open to suggestions if they are good for the film. That is a wonderful quality.
He is also very positive and cool. I felt extremely comfortable working with him, and the entire process was a very pleasant experience.
What was the biggest challenge while playing Kaveri?
Kaveri and I are completely different in real life. My personality is very different from hers. As an actor, I find it very interesting to play characters who are completely different from who I am.
The Telugu language was another challenge. This is not urban Telugu; the character speaks with a rural accent. Getting the pronunciation, dialect and nuances right was challenging for me, but it was also a great learning experience.
How was your shooting experience in Seeleru?
I participated in nearly 30 days of shooting in the Seeleru region. The locations added greatly to the action-thriller tone of the film.
Shooting in remote areas was definitely challenging, but those locations were essential to the world created by the story. It was a memorable experience for the entire team.
What kind of experience will ‘Irumudi’ offer audiences?
The trailer already gives you a glimpse of how lovingly and responsibly Ravi Teja’s character raises his daughter. I strongly believe children should feel comfortable sharing anything with their parents.
Parents need to create that comfort and trust. This aspect of the film will make audiences think about the relationship between parents and children even after they leave the theatre.
At the same time, ‘Irumudi’ is not only about emotions. It has plenty of thrills and an emotional connection. I believe the film will appeal to audiences across different age groups and regions because the emotions are universal.
How was the music by GV Prakash Kumar?
GV Prakash Kumar is a National Award-winning composer, and every album of his has something special. He was very excited about ‘Irumudi’ from the beginning.
After coming on board, he expressed his belief that the film would become a classic cult film and a blockbuster. He is extremely enthusiastic about the project, and I am also looking forward to seeing how audiences respond to the music.
How was your experience working with Mythri Movie Makers?
Mythri Movie Makers is one of the biggest production houses in India. They make every film on a grand scale and with tremendous passion.
The shoot of ‘Irumudi’ was not an easy one, especially because of the locations and the scale involved. But the Mythri Movie Makers team took great care of everyone throughout the shoot. It was a very positive and memorable experience working with them.
Do you have any dream roles?
I am a very happy person. So far, I have played more serious characters, and now I would love to explore roles with more fun and humour.
I have even told Siva Nirvana garu about it (laughs). I would love to do a film that makes audiences laugh and gives them a completely entertaining experience.
Tell us about your upcoming projects.
The shooting of ‘Dhootha 2’ has already begun. It will continue the story from the first season. ‘Demonte Colony 3’ is also gearing up for release.
Apart from these, I have a few other projects in discussion. I am excited about what is coming next.
With a combination of suspense, action, family emotions and a strong father-daughter relationship at its core, ‘Irumudi’ is shaping up to be a different theatrical experience. Priya Bhavani Shankar believes that her character Kaveri, along with the film’s universal emotional appeal, will strike a chord with audiences when the film releases in theatres on August 21.
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