Ritu Varma: ‘Swag’ is an entertaining satire on gender dynamics, inheritance and lineage

Rukmini Devi and Ritu Varma in ‘Swag’ Photo credit: Special Arrangements

In many of his films, be it an urban rom-com or a con-drama, Ritu Varma has played characters with a voice and has never come across as a pushover. Yet, when director Hasith Goli gave a detailed account of it swagHe was surprised. swagThe Telugu film releases on October 4, short for ‘Swaganika Bhamsam’; The story that unfolds in different timelines has Ritu in a dual role – Queen Rukmini Devi in ​​the past and a civil engineer in the present.

Settling for this interview in Hyderabad after returning from a shooting schedule in Rajahmundry, Ritu says, “I loved Hasith’s first film, The king is the thiefAnd thought he would narrate a romcom. Nothing prepared me for what I was about to hear.” He describes swag As an entertaining satire on gender dynamics, inheritance and lineage.

Satire on the gender equation

The story, which touches upon the concepts of matriarchal and patriarchal society, Ritu explains, gave her an opportunity to do something she hadn’t done before. “It felt like a breath of fresh air and came to me when I was interested in signing a Telugu film.”

Director Hasith Goli and Ritu Verma on the sets of ‘Swag’ Photo credit: Special Arrangements

As Rukmini Devi, she portrays a domineering queen who does not take kindly to male heirs. Hasith gave him a few references to the queens of India and he keenly observed Ramya Krishna as a Shivagami. Bahubali. “We worked on Rukmini Devi’s look and body language. She dresses casually, with jewellery, has eyebrows and wears colored lenses which enhance her authoritative demeanor.”

For the civil engineer feel, Ritu sports a tanned look with messy clothes and messy hair, as she spends considerable time near construction sites. “Feelings are fiery and assert themselves when faced with an injustice. Both of these characters are far from who I am in real life. I’m all for equality, but I’m soft-spoken and quiet.”

swag After debuting as the solo lead in the 2013 film, Ritu appeared in a film opposite Sri Vishnu. Prema Ishq Kadhal. In swagTheir characters are not in a romantic relationship. “It was a surprise when I heard the story,” she recalls.

Straddling two languages

Ritu was last seen in Telugu movies Varudu Kavalenu And Oke Oka Jivitam (Kanam in Tamil). he looks swag As an entertaining yet experimental film that will help him make his presence felt. “To this day, I get touched when people talk to me, at shooting spots or when I travel, sometimes reminding them of the scenes there. Peli Chuplu, Bharudu… Or my Tamil film Kannum Kannum Kollai Adithal (Kanulu Kanulanu Dochante). I never planned to be an actress and I am grateful for all these recognitions.”

Ritu Verma | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements/Praneel Chintewar

Ritu has acted in Telugu and Tamil films and says, “It’s a good place to be. I won’t claim to have received many scripts; Finding interesting movies is still a challenge. But I am grateful that filmmakers consider me for some roles. by acting Needham Oru Vanam, Modern Love Hyderabad And Modern Love ChennaiHe likes to read scripts to understand the thought process of his characters.

in case swagThe detailed backstory and discussion with Hasith Goli helped. “Hasith is knowledgeable and gave me more information than I could have asked for. Swag is produced on a larger scale than this The king is the thief And he handled the film with confidence and grace. After shooting, I would return home satisfied with a good job. It involved a lot of studying and learning and I have happy memories of working on this film.”

digital space

Ritu has also filmed for a Telugu web series for Disney Hotstar, the details of which are still under wraps. “It’s about a girl on a journey of self-discovery,” she can now reveal. Next up are two Telugu films, one an entertainer and the other a murder mystery

Since she says she never planned to be an actress, I ask if she ever wondered what her life would be like if she didn’t get into movies. “I didn’t think too much. I have an engineering degree but my favorite is cinema. Initially, I didn’t have long-term plans but gradually, I started enjoying acting and became interested in my work.” When not in front of the camera, she spends her time drawing or reading (she mentions Chitra Banerjee’s Diwakaruni magic forest And Palace of Illusions among his favorite readings). “Reading and painting help me escape reality for a while and I enjoy that too.”