The mega-budget film in Kannada, Telugu, and Tamil, shot simultaneously, “Bhairadevi,” is hitting the screens in over 180 theaters on October 3rd, coinciding with the beginning of the Dasara festival.
This is a festival offering from Radhika Kumaraswamy, the producer and key actor of the film. For the first time, she appears as a “female Aghori” under the direction of Shrijay. The film also stars Ramesh Aravind, Rangayana Raghu, Anu Prabhakar, Shivaramanna, Ravishanker, and others.
The Kannada version of “Bhairadevi” is releasing now, with the Telugu and Tamil versions set to debut during the Deepavali festival, says a proud Radhika Kumaraswamy.
At the pre-release meet at MMB Legacy, Ramesh Aravind summed up the entire film “Bhairadevi” as “Expect the unexpected.” On the premiere day, one of Ramesh Aravind’s friends sent him a message saying, “Bhayakkondu Bhairadevi, I did not switch off the light for the whole night when I went to sleep”—an indication of a horror element. However, Ramesh Aravind plays the role of a cop in the film, who seeks a solution from the Aghori team. As ACP, he describes it as a family entertainer with a good dose of horror. He says it is a horror family story and recalls the iconic film “Aptha Mithra,” as well as another film he did previously. “What Bhairadevi does is similar to what Dr. Vishnuvardhana does in Apthamitra; it’s all about suspense,” he says with a smile.
Radhika Kumaraswamy admits she was afraid to visit a burial ground in her life, so she asked her brother Raviraj and director Shrijay to build a set. But for the raw filming, both duped her and brought her to a real burial ground in Cox Town. “After the Aghori got up, I could not face the camera; it was difficult. We went to the nearby Kali Temple and offered a Pooja for flawless shooting. It was fine after that,” she shares. For the first time, Radhika Kumaraswamy has performed daring action scenes under the direction of Dr. Ravi Verma in this film. Now, after all the shooting, Radhika Kumaraswamy feels free and fearless. She used to avoid going alone in the dark at home, but now she is ready to visit the burial ground at midnight.
Rangayana Raghu complimented Radhika Kumaraswamy and the team for their great effort. As Ramesh Aravind mentioned, his role is similar to that of Dwarakish in “Apthamitra.” In the second half, Ramesh Aravind shines. “An intelligent person can outsmart ‘devru and Devva,’” he observes, adding that this is a “Varthamana” film, featuring a strong “Hennu Devru” from this project.
Anu Prabhakar plays the role of Ramesh Aravind’s wife in “Bhairadevi,” but she is not fond of horror films. She even closed her eyes during the celebrity show and whistled when other scenes appeared on screen. According to Anu, her best colleague, Radhika Kumaraswamy, should continue acting and producing. For the first time, Anu dubbed the Telugu language for this film, marking a special moment in her career, although she was unable to dub in Tamil.
Dr. Ravi Verma, who is making a significant name for himself nationwide, expressed astonishment after seeing the makeup of Radhika Kumaraswamy. “After Malashri, it’s Radhika,” he remarked. “I have done action for a female actress.”
Director Shrijay of “RX Soori” seems to have grown tremendously during the filmmaking process. He conducted extensive research, and the concept of a female Aghori inspired him, giving the subject a fine shape. He has incorporated the original mantras that Aghoris recite. “They are rarely seen, but they seek ‘Moksha’ in life. Yes, I have seen them consuming dead bodies, but my study of Aghoris once made me wonder if I could also become an Aghori in life. There will certainly be a vibe for the audience,” he feels.
Regarding the technical aspects of the film not reaching audiences in multiplexes and single screens, director Shrijay expressed his disappointment. “Multiplexes do not cooperate with Kannada films of top quality. The levels of sound and brightness are what matter most for this kind of film,” he observed.
