“If the audience likes ‘Bhairadevi,’ I will continue my journey in cinema. If not, this will be the last movie I act in,” said actress-producer Radhika Kumaraswamy.
The film ‘Bhairadevi,’ starring Ramesh Aravind, Radhika Kumaraswamy, Anu Prabhakar, and others, is set to release on October 3rd, during the Dussehra festival. Prior to that, the trailer was launched on Saturday night at Mantri Mall. On this occasion, Radhika, the film’s producer, shared several insights.
Director Shrijai had come to our house one day to narrate the story, and if he hadn’t, this film and role wouldn’t have happened, Radhika said. “That day, I told him one thing: If this movie succeeds and the audience likes it, I will do another film. If not, I will step away from the film industry. If this is liked, I will continue my cinematic journey; if not, this will be my last film. The director believed in me and encouraged me to make this film. I am confident it will be a big success. This is a family-friendly movie from my production house, and all credit for it goes to the director,” she said.
Sharing her struggles for the movie, Radhika said, “I faced many difficulties. Sometimes I wonder why actors go through so much hardship. Not just us, but a whole team of actors and technicians are involved, and they all worked hard. Many have put in effort behind this song. Girls would cry while in the Aghori getup, saying their bodies were burning. They faced many challenges. I thank them all. Watch the movie, support us, and if you bless us, we will be able to make more films.”
Radhika also mentioned that if Ramesh Aravind hadn’t agreed, the film wouldn’t have moved forward. “Ramesh Aravind has done a fantastic job in this film. It only started because he agreed. If he hadn’t given his dates, we wouldn’t have been able to make the movie. The role needed him, and even the director insisted that no one else could do the part besides him. I also worked with Anu Prabhakar in ‘Thavarige Baa Thangi.’ Back then, I was a newcomer, and I learned a lot from her. She used to guide me in acting. The smile she had then is still the same now. It hasn’t changed a bit. Mohan from ‘Bhajarangi’ composed three songs for us and choreographed them wonderfully. I would often get exhausted. On the first day of shooting, I couldn’t even stand or walk. The moment I put on the getup, I couldn’t even lift my head. Finally, the team took me to a nearby temple and performed a ritual to ward off the evil eye. After that, we resumed the shoot, but I couldn’t stand for two to three hours.”
Remembering those who made this film’s release possible, Radhika said, “A few days ago, I met a couple at the Bengaluru airport. They had this special energy about them. Their words made me realize how much love and admiration they had for me. That night, I kept thinking—I’ve made a good film, so why isn’t it getting released? I couldn’t understand why. We faced many obstacles during the shoot and also for the release. I thought, ‘We’ll see when our time comes.’ After hearing their words, the next day, I called my brother and said, ‘No more delays. Let’s release the film in a month.’ That couple, in my life, came as ‘Bhairadevi.’ Bhaira represents Shiva, and Devi represents Parvati. They came into my life, inspiring me to make this decision.”
