As Kannadigas, we must take pride in our roots, language and stories: Janvi Rayala

As we celebrate Karnataka Rajyotsava, Kannada actress Janvi Rayala reflects on her growing love for her mother tongue and what it truly means to be a Kannadiga. In a heartfelt conversation, she opens up about how her journey as an artiste helped her reconnect with her roots and deepen her appreciation for the language. Excerpts:
‘Theatre and acting helped me fall in love with Kannada’Growing up in the ’90s, she recalls, English often took precedence in CBSE schools. “We knew Kannada was our mother tongue, but speaking English made our parents happy. Later, in college, there was hardly any Kannada in my syllabus. It was only after I entered the film industry that I realised how little I actually knew about my own language,” she admits.
“When I joined TS Nagabharana sir’s theatre group, he once asked me to deliver a dialogue in Kannada... I was terrible at it! He made me sit in his office, read the entire play, and practise until I got it right. That’s when I realised how beautiful and profound Kannada is. It’s not just a language; it’s an emotion. Now, I tell myself that when I have kids, I’ll make sure they learn Kannada too, along with other languages.”
‘Knowing your language helps you reach your audience’s heart’For Janvi, speaking her language goes beyond communication. She tells us, "As an actor, language is everything; emotions live in words. If I act in Malayalam or Tamil, I might not connect as deeply. But in Kannada, the feelings flow naturally. Audiences today notice everything — every breath, every word — so it’s important to deliver it authentically. Knowing your language helps you reach straight to your audience’s heart.”
Janvi says she feels immense pride in representing her state. “I was born and brought up here, and I’m proud to be a Kannadiga. As an artiste, I want to represent my state on a global platform,” she says.
‘Learning a language is key, but it can’t be forcefully imposed on anyone’Addressing the ongoing language debate in Bengaluru, she says, “Anyone who comes to Karnataka to work or study should definitely learn the basics of Kannada. It helps in everyday interactions, especially in professions where you deal with people from diverse backgrounds.” But she adds a note of caution: “At the same time, harassing someone for not knowing the language is absolutely wrong. You can’t force it on people — we have to draw the line. If someone tells you kindly, ‘Try to learn,’ it’s okay to take that in a positive spirit. We Kannadigas can manage five or six languages and make others feel comfortable. Why not make an effort to learn ours too?”