Sai Dhanshika recently told this newspaper that she was happy when filmmakers say that they write scripts keeping her in mind. And it might have come true now in Tollywood as well. The dusky beauty who proved her mettle alongside Malayalam star Dulquer Salman as a blind girl in Solo will be making her T’town entry with a straight Telugu female centric movie titled Mela (Festivity). The leggy actress who essays a dual dimensional role in the bilingual horror thriller in Tamil and Telugu tells DC how she pulled off the challenging role and did few risky stunts without a body double.
“Kiran sir, a writer and a well-known name in Telugu music scene, is making his debut as a director with Mela. He approached me and said he has been working on this script for long and felt that I would be apt for the woman centric film role. For me it is the content which really matters, irrespective of what role I play. It was a mind-blowing script and I gave my nod instantly,” is how she started the conversation.
We hear you portray a dual role in Mela. “Not really! I can’t reveal much about the story. All I can say is that I play a dual dimensional role and there’s a shocking element when my other side is revealed.”
You guessed it. It is a ghost story and again there’s a surprise factor to the ghost side as well, the Kabali actress reveals. “Though I don’t have a pair as such, popular artistes from both the languages have been roped in.” While Surya Tej will be seen in the lead, actors Aali, Bharat Reddy, Munishkanth, Jangiri Madhumitha are also part of the film.
Talking about the tough climax stunt scenes, SD says, “Having undergone self-defence courses and other stunts, I always prefer to do my action scenes without a body double. Mela is no different. The climax portions are so crucial and they were also risky stunts like rope shots, jumping from a height etc. Despite the challenge, I was determined to do them.”
“There is also a beautiful song with tough dance steps. But, I have a great passion for dance. I don’t mind rehearsing even 50 times for a dance move. But dance choreographer Chandra Kiran made me comfortable and brought the best out of me.”
