Strong women characters in ‘Thammudu' will make female audiences feel proud
The role came with its own challenges. 'After 'Kantara', I got a call from director Sriram Venu. I did a look test in Hyderabad, and once that went well, they handed me the dialogue version. They also asked me to learn horse riding, which I practiced for three to four hours every day. We shot in the rocky terrains of Araku, which made it even more demanding. But I'm happy with how the scenes turned out.'
According to Sapthami, she was the first actor to be cast for the film. 'Director Venu garu always said he enjoyed writing Ratna's character the most. Though my screen time isn't very long, the character has depth and importance. I believe 'Thammudu' will earn me recognition for this role.'
While 'Thammudu' shares its title with the iconic Pawan Kalyan film, Sapthami admitted, 'I know about Pawan Kalyan garu's 'Thammudu' and how successful it was. Venu garu explained the significance of the title. I haven't watched the full movie yet, but I will definitely watch it before our release.'
What truly excites Sapthami is the strong representation of women in the film. 'In most movies, female characters are often shown just dancing or singing with the hero. But in 'Thammudu', we fight alongside the hero,' she emphasized.
She elaborated, 'Laya garu plays a strict officer. One of the characters, Gutthi, drives a bus in the film and even learned bus driving for the role. Myself, Varsha, Ditya, and Swasika all have action scenes. These aren't filler roles—they are crucial to the story. I'm confident that women in the audience will feel proud when they see how powerfully we are portrayed.'
Along with action and drama, the film has a romantic angle as well. 'There's a sweet love story between Nithiin's character and mine. It begins in our teenage years and matures over time. By the end of the film, audiences will be emotionally invested in seeing us unite.'
'Thammudu' is mounted on a grand scale, and Sapthami urges audiences to experience it on the big screen. 'You can't get the same feeling watching it at home. The visuals, sound, and emotion are meant for the theatre. If you've seen the trailer, you already know how massive this film is.'
After 'Kantara', Sapthami has been choosy about her projects. 'I love doing commercial films—like Rashmika's role in 'Pushpa', which I really liked. I got several offers after 'Kantara', but many weren't exciting. That's why I haven't been seen much recently.'
She concluded, 'Right now, I'm working on two Telugu films and also have projects in Tamil and Kannada. I want to work across all languages. If the roles are exciting, I'm ready to take them on.'
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