The highly anticipated sequel, Yatra 2, is poised to captivate audiences upon its release on February 8th. Starring Mammootty, Ketaki Narayan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Suzanne Bernert, and Subhalekha Sudhakar, the film is directed by Mahi V Raghav.

Mammootty portrays YS. Rajasekhara Reddy, while Jiiva plays the role of his son Jagan. Ketaki Narayan takes on the role of Jagan's wife Bharati, marking her Telugu debut after a successful career in Marathi and Malayalam films.

Ahead of the release, Ketaki shared her thoughts on Yatra 2 and her journey as an actress.

What was your reaction when Mahi V Raghav said you resemble Bharati?

I felt good, happy, and surprised. It was a new experience, especially since it was a real-life character unlike the fictional ones I've played before. Bharati has a huge aura, and I felt I needed to find the core of her character as she is not just Jagan Mohan Reddy's wife but also the daughter of two doctors and a well-educated woman.

How did you prepare for the role of Bharati?

I couldn't meet her in person, so I watched videos of her and gathered information from the cast and crew. They all respected her, calling her Bharati Amma. She wasn't involved in politics, but when the need arose, she stepped up to the occasion.

What were Mahi's instructions for you?

He asked me to give my best shot and take responsibility for the character. Bharati has energy, but I needed to settle down and portray her calm and composed nature. There was a scene where Bharati comes out of jail and answers a question from a journalist. Mahi told me to forget about myself, think about Bharati, and do the interval scene.

What did you learn about CM Jagan's rise to power during this journey?

I felt a lot of compassion when I read the script. I discussed the graph and emotions of the character with Mahi and Ravi. Jagan is a character who will do whatever he wants, which is evident in real life as well. Jiiva performed the lines well, discussing them with Karthik. I was amazed and asked him whether he met Jagan and how he prepared for the role. As Ketaki, I wanted to learn how he performed in the role.

How did you prepare for the Rayalaseema dialect?

The Rayalaseema dialect is challenging, but I see Indian languages as alien to me. If the director asks me to perform, I will do it. In a Malayalam film, I played a Thrissur girl with a different dialect.

Which Tollywood actors do you know?

I know Nagarjuna from the film Criminal and Vijayashanti from her dubbed films.

Ketaki's journey from IT to the film industry has been a rewarding one, and she embraces the challenges of playing diverse characters and learning new dialects. Yatra 2 promises to be a captivating film that explores the rise of CM Jagan and the role of his wife Bharati.