Kantara fame Rukmini Vasanth on what makes Deepavali special and more

If I do get a day or two off, I’ll be heading home and indulging in all the sweets I can get my hands on. There’s something really comforting about it — the familiarity, the little rituals, the same laughter, the same aromas. I think that’s what makes it special every year, the fact that it feels the same, in the best way possible. My favourite thing to do during the festival has always been lighting lamps around the house with my mom. The way their soft, warm glow fills every corner of the house. There’s something so peaceful and beautiful about that. It feels like the heart of Deepavali for me.

One of my fondest Deepavali memories is when my mom took me to Malleswaram in Bengaluru. I was only about 10 or 11 and we bought nearly 150 clay deepas. I was overflowing with enthusiasm that year and decided to paint every single one of them. Family members who dropped by would join in, painting a deepa or two. Once we finished, we filled them with wax and turned them into candles. That year, whenever we visited friends or had guests over, we gifted them our hand-painted deepas. I haven’t quite found the time or motivation to recreate it since, but that is a little reminder of how joyful creating something together can be.

Some films test you physically, where you have to pick up new skills; some stretch you emotionally or mentally, requiring you to dig deep into your craft and then, once in a while, there are films that demand all of it. Kantara is the kind of film that challenges you in every possible way as an actor. My character is tied to one of the biggest plot twists in the film, so I don’t want to give away any spoilers. Since the story is set in the Tulu Nadu–Karavali region, the dialect work was completely new to me. There’s the emotional depth that comes with understanding her context in cultural, historical and personal ways, which is always such a fascinating process to uncover. On top of that, there was all the physical preparation, such as horse riding and sword fighting — skills that were both challenging and exhilarating to learn. It was an amazing experience working with our fight masters because you realise that even something that seems simple, like learning how to fall safely for multiple takes, is actually an art in itself. I love that acting gives you these opportunities because you end up acquiring abilities that stay with you beyond the film. I had to learn surfing for one of my earlier roles (Banadariyalli) and it turned out to be something I truly love. So, I’m always grateful for roles that push me to grow not just as an actor, but as a person too.

Most of my films have been set in the present day; at best, they’ve gone back to the early 2010s. I’d never really dialled the clock back quite this far before. This role required a completely different kind of preparation, not just because of the period setting, but because of the cultural and social world my character inhabits. Playing Kanakavathi meant understanding the physicality of someone born into immense privilege, someone used to being the most important person in any room. We spent a lot of time exploring that through posture, gesture and movement. You could say I had ‘princess lessons,’ in a way! But since Kanakavathi is also a warrior princess, it wasn’t all about poise! There was equal emphasis on athleticism, agility and how she carries that strength with grace. It was such a rewarding process, from the workshops to the shoot itself, where I dove into both her regality and her resilience.

What I love most about my work is that every film comes with the chance to learn something new — whether it’s physical, linguistic or even cultural — and that’s such a privilege. For instance, learning new languages like Tamil and Telugu has been a huge part of my journey. It started out as something I did for work, but it’s become something I genuinely enjoy. I’m not someone who enjoys puzzles or Sudoku, so for me, language learning has become my version of that mental workout.

I’m definitely excited about where my linguistic and cinematic journey will take me next. Malayalam and Hindi are two industries where I haven’t had the privilege of working in yet and both fascinate me deeply. I grew up watching a lot of Malayalam films, especially when I started seriously thinking about pursuing a career in theatre and cinema. There’s such honesty and depth in Malayalam storytelling, so that’s definitely a frontier I’d love to explore. Hindi cinema, on the other hand, it has shaped so many of our shared cultural experiences — it’s a space I’d be thrilled to step into when the right story comes along.

I absolutely love romantic films. There’s something timeless and deeply human about them. I’d also love to do a good buddy or travel film, those are always such fun and emotionally rich experiences.

Café-hopping is something I’m passionate about. I’m a huge coffee enthusiast. I also journal regularly, writing about everything under the sun. I find a cosy café, sit down with my journal and it gives me a lot of peace. Reading is another love of mine. I was a voracious reader growing up, though phone screens have taken up much of that time recently. I’m actively trying to reclaim that habit and lately, I’ve been diving into a mix of non-fiction and fiction.

Travel is something I’ve always really enjoyed. My parents encouraged it from a young age and since my dad was in the army, road trips were a big part of our lives. I remember our first long drive from Bengaluru to Ooty and Coonoor, through Bandipur and Mudumalai — those jour - neys sparked my love for exploring new places. One of the recent places I visited was the UK, several years after gradu - ating from drama school. It was such a lovely and gratifying experience to go back there, not just on holiday, but as a working actor. That’s where I trained and I spent a lot of time there, wondering if I would be able to make it as a profes - sional actor. Returning felt like coming full circle. Another place very close to my heart is Kashmir. I haven’t visited in a while, but it holds some of my fondest memories with my father and our whole family. As for bucket-list destinations, Odisha within India and internationally, Italy has always been on my list.

I can’t say too much about my upcoming projects just yet, but yes, NTRNeel is something I’m very excited about. The film is directed by Prashanth Neel and I’m working alongside Jr NTR.

Honestly, I didn’t have a rigid alternative plan, but one of my interests was becom - ing a Montessori teacher. I love interact - ing with young children, so I imagined myself either teaching or babysitting. I think I would have felt fulfilled pursuing something in that space — nurturing and guiding children — if I hadn’t ended up on this path.

Kantara: A Legend Chapter-1 is now in theatres!