Bengaluru is the best city for a student: Rashmika Mandanna

Her name sets hearts aflutter. In the two years since her debut in Kirik Party, Rashmika Mandanna has snagged a host of titles and awards, besides having a thriving career in the Telugu and Kannada film industries. And even as she laps up all this popularity, there is a side to the shy actress that comes to the fore on rare occasions. It is a facet that only her college pals are privy to and one that we got a glimpse of, as the actor chose to do the rounds of her college addas with buddy Koushik Muthanna in tow.
Bengaluru has given me wings to fly
After boarding school, Rashmika came to Bengaluru from Coorg to pursue a degree in journalism. “I have to say that from that day on, I have enjoyed every moment that I’ve been here. This is a city that makes you fall in love with it the moment you set foot here. For students, especially, there is such a varied choice in terms of academic options. The colleges are not only reputed for the kind of education they offer, but also foster your growth as individuals. They provide scope for all-round development, including creative pursuits. I had such a great time participating in all the cultural programmes in my college. In fact, even today, fans upload old dance videos of mine from our college culturals,” she shares.
BEL Road was our favourite hangout
Rashmika clearly enjoyed her college days to the hilt. But she professes to have been a good student and says that she never bunked class. “I would take off with friends either during lunch break or after college hours. Looking back, I have to agree that those days were indeed carefree ones,” says Rashmika, who then takes us to all her addas and gives us pointers on what to eat and the secret locations on BEL Road where students can chill during breaks.

Burgers, food wars and scooters rides
First up, Rashmika chooses to revisit her favourite café that’s located behind her college. “There are umpteen interesting options here, but for some reason, I loved drinking only their cold milk, that too unsweetened,” says Rashmika. As the chetta who owns the adda guides her to a table, Rashmika promptly sits on the steps leading to the café. “This is where my friends and I sat... I want it to be like the old days,” she quips.
Up next is a Kaati Roll hub. A no-fuss joint, Rashmika tells us that she discovered this place after Koushik recommended it. As she arrives at the place, her red SUV attracts attention and a horde of fans descend on her. Selfies done, she orders the double egg chicken roll, which she points out is the hub’s most popular dish. “At `50, it’s a steal,” she declares. Next is a secret lane tucked away in the leafy environs of BEL Road and the actor tells us that this is where she learnt to ride a two wheeler. The spot evokes much nostalgia, so Rashmika doesn’t think twice before getting on Koushik’s scooter to zip around the lane once more and catches fans by surprise in the process. She stops in front of a quaint park and tells us that it is her favourite. “In fact, we even shot a short film here and I had bullied Koushik to play the lead in it,” she laughs even as he chips in saying, “You are a bully even now.”
The park is located two lanes behind her college and Rashmika says that students can peacefully spend time here, especially on days when they’re broke. “It’s free, it’s green and you can spend time amid nature without spending a penny,” she laughs.
From this point on, Rashmika ditches her car and rides on the scooter with Koushik. They head to a fast-food chain where they used to eat burgers every afternoon. “We would have these food wars the minute our trays arrived,” says Koushik, and as if on cue, Rashmika begins throwing fries at him.
Rashmika, meanwhile, recommends the Chicken Meal and says it’s the best option if you have a ravenous appetite after long hours in college. Once done, she heads to a nameless small shop around the corner, where she says you get “the best lime juice and sandwich in the city.” The day ends with the duo riding up and down BEL Road, pointing to a favourite spots and reliving their student life once more. “Bengaluru gives you wings to fly. It has such a wonderful mix of everything especially for students. Even on a shoe-string budget, you can have a good time. These are memories you carry for life,”she sums up.