Raashi Khanna laughs heartily when we broach the topic of her new film, World Famous Lover. “We (referring to the film’s team) are all having a good laugh; everyone has their own view, going by the teaser. Some think it’s Arjun Reddy 2, some people think it’s an anthology, a few others think it might be the journey of one character — like Care of Kancharapalem. It’s hilarious to see these reactions but we prefer to be tight-lipped about our film,” she says, when we get talking for an interview.
As expected, she doesn’t want to discuss her character Yamini and avers that anything she says will be a spoiler: “When people see the film, they’ll get to know it’s a beautiful story and screenplay; all the girls (she, Aishwarya Rajesh, Catherine Tresa and Izabelle) have great parts,” says Raashi.
The joy that Raashi exudes during the interview is more than just a reflection of her mood at the moment and the excitement about her forthcoming film. It’s also got to do with the kind of roles she’s been offered post Tholi Prema. Most recently, she brought the house down as TikTok star Angel Aarna in director Maruthi’s Prati Roju Pandage. Before she talks about that film, she goes back to Anil Ravipudi’s Supreme (2016), where she tried comedy for the first time: “I didn’t know I could do comedy. Anil [Ravipudi] told me that I had good comic timing. I am not a trained actor and in the beginning of my career, I was shy and not very free with how I emoted. Comedy requires you to shed your inhibitions.”
Raashi Khanna and Vijay Deverakonda in a still from World Famous Lover
Three years later when Prati Roju Pandage was offered to her, she still wasn’t sure. She downloaded the TikTok app and enjoyed watching some of the fun videos. But she couldn’t imagine herself doing such videos. “I was scared,” says Raashi, “I told Maruthi I can’t be Aarna.” The director convinced her and she took it up as a challenge. She had some amount of comedy in Venky Mama as well, alongside Vidyu Raman. On set, director Bobby told her that her comic timing had improved and also commented that someday she could become a director: “I have no such plans now. But I understand a scene and improvise. I have a sense of what might work and when someone like Vidyu Raman is around, it’s easy to pull off comic scenes.”
World Famous Lover, scheduled to release on February 14, will see Raashi in a role that’s a contrast to these fun parts. Raashi says it was cathartic to act in WFL and go through Yamini’s emotional journey: “There are times I want to cry my heart out at night — over many things — but I hold back because the next morning I can’t go to shoot with swollen eyes. While enacting Yamini, I shed [copious] tears. Yamini is the toughest character I’ve played so far.”
Needed seclusion
Raashi mentions being blown by the “sensible and emotional” story and characters that director Kranti Madhav had in store. After the characters of Prabhavathi (in her debut film Oohalu Gusagusalade directed by Srinivas Avasarala) and Varsha in Tholi Prema (by Venky Atluri), this is a part that got her both excited and nervous: “I secluded myself for 15 to 20 days before I began shooting. I needed to be alone. Yamini goes through a lot and I like how she stands up for herself with self respect. Had I been in her situation, maybe that’s how I would react. I felt I was showcasing my vulnerable side through Yamini. I became her. At this stage of my career, more than just the box office success, I want to add value to a film.”
Raashi Khanna | Photo Credit: By arrangement
She’s aware of the possessiveness with which some of her fans reacted to the WFL teaser and says, “Once they see the entire film, they will be proud of what I’ve done. From the teaser, they had issues with the dialogue Vijay [Deverakonda] says, my shower shot and the lovemaking. But those who notice my deadpan expression will know there’s a lot more to Yamini.”
After WFL, Raashi has signed Aranmanai 3 (Tamil), keen to explore the horror genre, and is in talks for two Telugu films. But she’s keen to wait for the reactions to WFL, which she is confident will show her in a new light. She talks in appreciation of how Samantha calls the shots with a tapestry of interesting roles and says, “It’s a boost to actors like me, making us believe leading women will get to do well-written characters.”
The conversation shifts to the time between Oohalu... and Tholi Prema when Raashi was saddled with several roles that required her to just be glamorous. “What can we do when we are restricted by the writing? People have to believe in you to offer good roles. I improvise with whatever material I am given. There are occasions when I’ve spoken up and said I can’t say lines that make a woman sound stupid. Some directors agree with my point of view and some don’t. It’s all part of the game,” she sums up.