Andala Rakshasi was a role that was cut out for Lavanya. When Hanu met her for the first time, he knew that he had met his Mithuna. Hailing from the North, the girl magically metamorphosed into the cute character with her sheer determination.

In her exclusive interview with IndiaGlitz, Lavanya speaks at length about what went into working for the role, how she was helped by Hanu, her preferences and more.

Exceprts:

How the offer came her way..

I grew up in Dehra Dun. I came to know that Hanu Raghavapudi was looking for a new face from a common friend. I sent a couple of pictures to him before Hanu came to meet me in Mumbai. He liked me when he saw me and asked me to go for a video test. There was no audition done for the role. After the shoot, he said that I was his Mithuna.

A big movie..

This is a huge movie for me. Though I never knew what Varahi was, I realized that Andala Rakshasi was a very big movie when we gained so much popularity (once the trailers were released). Everyone is looking at us.

Never felt it took so long..

I never felt anxious about the fact that the film was dragging on for 1 and half years. I realised that when we had to shoot the film mostly in outdoor locations, weather would be an issue. Weather is not predictable and it was not always congenial when we shot in Hyderabad, Munnar, and Bellary. What kept me going was my faith in the movie. I never felt like taking up any other project.

Mithuna as I saw her..

I latched on to the role when it was narrated to me. Mithuna is like me at one level. I personally relate to her because she is innocent and likes to be with her family. I knew from the beginning that it was a heavy role for a debutante. I might have taken an experienced actress to pull it off. I was not sure whether I was like Mithuna at all. But somewhere deep down, I was confident because Hanu saw it in me.

Mithuna doesn't speak with intentions. She says whatever comes to her mind; she speaks her heart. She is attached to her family. She is like Earth - natural, full of life and possesses gravity.

Doing the homework..

There was no difficulty in getting the dialogues right. We were given the script well in advance. I was given the meaning of each word so that I could emote by understanding the substance. Fortunately, I did not need to take retakes.

A flattering comparison..

It is a huge compliment to be compared to Girija (Gitanjali girl). I am glad people are drawing comparisons. But I must add that Mithuna has lots of shades.

The music is fabulous..

Talking about music, Rathan was fabulous. Even though my family members don't understand, they fell in love with the songs. Ye Mantramo and Yemito are my personal favourites.

Hanu, a great delight..

Working with Hanu was a great delight. He is young but very intelligent. Whenever I felt down, he would come to me and boost me. He instilled confidence in me on many occasions. He has all the qualities of an experienced director.

A great team to work with

It was a great team to work with. Naveen, Rahul and myself were asked to talk less so that we bring that mood of calm while shooting for the scenes. We were preoccupied with the script. There is a scene where I run away from Rahul, only to be confronted by him in the next scene. It was great fun shooting for it.

Story paramount, but..

Story is important to me, but if I were offered a movie with Mahesh Babu, I would gladly accept it under the assumption that a superstar movie would invariably have a good story. I am a big fan of Mahesh. He is a brand. If you are there with a big star, it makes a lot of difference. However, my wish is that I will get a role in which I could show my talent. Please don’t just make me stand in front of the camera.

Thanks to my entire team..

I would first thank Hanu for selecting me. Next, I would thank Sai Korrapati for approving me; Murali sir for making look so beautiful; and Rama Krishna sir for the art work.

A family entertainer..

It is a complete family entertainer. Mithuna is being loved by everybody. Gautham and Surya are being liked by classes and masses respectively. The film belongs to all classes.