Model-turned-actor Kayadu Lohar, who hails from Mumbai, considers her upcoming film Mugil Pete as the right project to mark her tinsel town entry into the South. “The Mugilpete team was looking for a new face, and I was called for auditions. Speaking in Kannada for the first time, I learned and managed to deliver a 7-line-dialogue at one go, and the makers were impressed, and next, I heard that I was on board,” recalls Kayadu and adds that the film was offered to her at a time when she was busy with commercial ads and had just completed a Marathi film.
The actor, who is looking forward to experiencing the joy of being on the silver screen from November 19, reveals why she decided to test waters with a Kannada film. “The moment I chose acting as my career, I was looking to make a mark in the South but I didn’t know how to go about it. And, when I heard about this Kannada project, I felt it was the right movie, especially after learning how the industry was doing. I am happy to be beginning my stint with Mugil Pete, and I can guarantee that you will see me more often,” she says.
Kayadu expected that her debut will just have a couple of romantic scenes and a few songs, but her opinion changed the moment she got on to the sets. “I didn’t have any pre-set notions because I was happy that I was getting a break, and just wanted to give my best. But the makers changed my mindset. The film mostly runs on hero Manoranjan and I, and in every scene, I had scope to perform,” explains Kayadu, about this relationship-based film, which also comes with commercial elements.
Kayadu says that she saw shades of Crazy star Ravichandran in Manoranjan. “He has worked well, and the best part is, he helped me a lot. Since I knew acting, I thought I could carry it off, but it was a different case in front of the camera. I had Manoranjan’s help at every step,” says the debutante.
For Kayadu, director Bharath Navunda came across as the most chilled person. “His sense of humour is on point, and the credit for the comedy you see in the film will go to him. If an opportunity comes by, I want to associate with the director again,” says Kayadu, who shares that although she could not meet the Crazy Star, Manoranjan told a lot about his father. “We had replicated a scene from one of Ravichandran’s popular flicks, Premaloka. Though I am yet to catch up on his films, I have watched a lot of scenes and songs, and I loved the track, which featured along with Shilpa Shetty,” she says.
Going forward, Kayadu says, she has no set plans, but is happy to be making her mark in south Indian languages, and associating with good production houses and teams. “Even though I am finding it difficult with the language, they are patient with me. Having said that I am a quick learner,” says Kayadu, who apart from Kannada has also set her foot in Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil, and has a film going on in each language.
“I am here to stay in the South, and at the same time, I want to show that I am not a heroine, who would be just seen in two songs and a romantic scene. I have confidence in myself, and I know that when presented with meaty roles, I have the potential to do justice to it.”