Exclusive: It feels good to be a director’s actor: Ashika Ranganath

Thrice is nice, and that certainly seems so in the case of Ashika Rangnath and direcotr Suni, who will be teaming up for the third time in the latter’s upcoming directorial, Gathavaibhava.

The duo have worked together in Avatara Purusha 1 & 2. “We were looking for a Kannadathi as the film has a lot of local dialogues, and Ashika fit the bill. The other reason is that since the hero, Dushyanth is new, an established heroine would provide the perfect balance. Also, having worked earlier with Ashika, I like her work,” shares Suni.

The movie, which sees Dushyanth playing a VFX artiste who imagines himself as the characters he creates, will see him essaying various roles, including that of a pirate and a Mangalurean boy. And Ashika, says Suni, will also be seen as a Portuguese lass, a celestial nymph and a Kudla girl.


“Suni sir narrated the story of Gathavaibhava over a phone call while I was shooting in Tamil Nadu. For the one-and-a-half hours that he narrated it, my mum and I were riveted in our seats. That’s how captivating the tale is. I also like the fact that he’s very respectful when it comes to his artistes,” shares Ashika, on working with Suni.

Getting to play so many characters in one film is the other factor that drew to her to the project. “I’m happy that all the directors I’ve worked with have either approached me to work on their films a second time. It makes me feel good that I’m a director’s actor,” sums up Ashika.