Latest news with #EKKA
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Shooting in live locations helped me truly understand my character: Sanjana Anand
Filming in public spaces presents its own set of challenges, but for on the set of Ekka, these environments became a source of inspiration. 'Shooting in live locations helped me understand the nuances of my character,' explains the actress, who is soon going to be seen as Nandini in the upcoming Kannada film, alongside Yuva Rajkumar and Sampada Hulivana. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'Portraying Nandini required a lot of homework. I had to concentrate on how I emoted my expressions and adapted my body language. Since we shot in live locations, I had the opportunity to see people's natural reactions, which was invaluable for my character's authenticity,' she says. In a chat with Bangalore Times, she tells us about her character, the decline of relatable cinema, and more... 'WE NEED MORE COMPELLING STORIES WRITTEN FOR WOMEN' 'The Kannada industry has fewer women-oriented films compared to other industries, and the overall representation of female-led narratives is noticeably low,' Sanjana Anand says. 'However, I'm optimistic that this is starting to change. I think we need more compelling stories written specifically for women to truly reflect their experiences on screen,' says the actress. 'I WANT TO DO ROLES THAT PEOPLE CAN TRULY CONNECT WITH' 'Finding relatable content is rare these days,' says Sanjana. Discussing projects that she would like to be a part of, she says, 'I'm drawn to raw and real movies. I want to play characters that people can truly connect with. I haven't seen an intense love story in a long time, and I would love to be part of something like that.' Yuva has been incredible to work with; he's an extremely supportive co-actor who even helped me with my scenes on his off days Sanjana Anand 'I DON'T PLAY THE ROLE OF A CONVENTIONAL HEROINE IN EKKA' 'My character in Ekka, Nandini, is a bold, unfiltered, and raw saleswoman from a lower-middle-class background, which I truly enjoyed portraying. I've been waiting to play characters like Nandini. For me, these roles bring immense joy because they're so relatable for any girl, free from pretentiousness. I'm not a conventional heroine in Ekka; my character is a humble, ordinary girl from Siddapura in Bengaluru,' she says. Characters like Nandini in Ekka are exciting to portray because the emphasis is on performance rather than just looks, which truly builds a sense of relatability Sanjana Anand
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Authentic and honest roles connect with audiences: Sampada Hulivana
Sampada Hulivana has stepped into a world that's both challenging and rewarding, with her upcoming movie, Ekka. In a chat with Bangalore Times, the actress speaks about her journey, the process of getting into a role and why she is in no hurry to slow down. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Excerpts: 'WHY I SAID YES TO EKKA...' When the story came to Sampada, she was drawn to the film instantly. 'The moment I heard the narration, I just knew I had to be a part of this. I was excited to work with and ,' she says. Her character in the film further hooked her, she explains. 'I have played lighter parts before, but this character in Ekka demanded something deeper. It felt grounded and real, which excited me,' shares Sampada. I am the kind of person who watches a take and immediately thinks, 'Could this have been better?' Even if the director is happy with my shot, I feel like I have more to give Sampada Hulivana 'HONESTY IN YOUR CRAFT MATTERS THE MOST IN THE FILM INDUSTRY' Sampada believes that being honest while playing a character is very important. 'The audience can always tell when an actor is faking it. Authenticity and honesty make a character feel real on screen and help connect with the audience, too,' believes Sampada. For my character in Ekka, I had to stop thinking like myself and fully consider how Mallika (her character) would react in each situation – Sampada Hulivana 'EVEN THOUGH COMEDY SCARES ME, IT IS A GENRE I WANT TO TRY' Sampada, who is fairly new in the industry, is already looking forward to what kind of work she wants to do. 'Comedy is something that scares me, but also it's a genre I'd love to explore. It is a challenge to make people laugh, and if you can do that, you are doing something right,' she says. 'WOMEN ARE CAPABLE OF ACTION-HEAVY ROLES' The industry tends to forget that roles for women do exist outside of love interests and family dramas. 'Women are capable of doing action-heavy roles. Undoubtedly, emotional arcs are significant in movies, but they shouldn't be the only stories women tell,' says Sampada. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'THE KANNADA FILM INDUSTRY HAS DEPTH, BUT WHAT WE LACK IS NATIONAL VISIBILITY' 'The Kannada Film Industry has always had powerful, historic and rooted stories, such as Ulidavaru Kandanthe, Kantara, and KGF. These films are not remakes or copies; they come from a very specific sense of identity,' says Sampada. She also feels that national visibility for Kannada films is a challenge. 'Every language has its moment, and I hope ours is coming as well. A lot is happening in the Kannada Film Industry. We just need people to look our way,' she shares.
