Silence of the pertinent kind

When television starts to prick the conscience by reflecting real issues in society, that is when even an act of silence starts to reverberate. In an endeavour echoing this, Star Suvarna is gearing up with a brand new fiction show titled Mounaraaga, which speaks about gender equality, and speaks out against female foeticide in the country. The show starts from December 17 (Monday to Saturday at 8.30 pm). Bengaluru Chronicle caught with the teenage actress who plays the lead in this meaningful story on Kannada TV. Actress Chitrashree, who makes her debut, talks about her role in the show which sees her essay the role of a girl with a speech disability. 

“I never had any interest in becoming an actress. My passion was to shine as a television anchor. Apart from my maternal uncle who was an artiste, and usually portrayed supporting roles in TV, no one from my family had any aspirations towards the arts. It was only after I saw actress Mayuri who came to shoot in my college, that I felt that I should also become an actress,” says Chitrashree, a first year degree student from Soundarya College, who has now quit to pursue her career in television as an artiste. She plans to continue her studies through distance learning.

After a series of failed attempts to become an anchor, Chitrashree reveals that it was a film crew who had come to shoot a film at her college who advised her to take up acting. “I love imitating those I dearly admire, in good humour. This quality was noticed by many. I also got a few opportunities to act in movies, but they did not interest me so much. I even missed starring in a TV show. I guess it was destiny that I an debuting in Mounaraaga,” she adds.

On playing a girl with speech disability, Chitrashree says that she took it in a positive manner. “When I first heard the script, I was not at all surprised. For a girl who wanted to become an anchor whose primary skill was to talk endlessly, to act as a girl who cannot speak was indeed a challenge. I realised that it is even more beautiful to express one’s feeling without actually speaking,” she adds.

In Mounaraaga, she portrays a childish character, who is denied love but still finds it in nature. “With no acting experience, I am learning as I work and Tilak Sir who is the director is my major support system. He has taught me the basics of facing the camera, and how to emote well through expressions alone,” Chitrashree signs off.