I want to change how female actors are portrayed in films: Namratha Gowda

After stepping away from the big screen for over 15 years, Kannada television actor Namratha Gowda is set to make her return to cinema with the film Mahaan, which also stars Vijay Raghavendra and is directed by PC Shekar. Speaking to us, Namratha says that despite numerous offers following her popularity on television and reality shows, she chose to remain selective, turning down roles that did not align with her vision as an actor. “People around me kept asking when I would return to films. But I did not want to jump into the wrong projects, work on scripts I could not connect with, or be typecast as just another heroine,” she says.‘I WANT TO BREAK THE STEREOTYPE OF HOW FEMALE ACTORS ARE PRESENTED IN FILMS’ “My career in film and television began when I was 7 and went on till I was 15. But I had to take a break from the limelight to focus on my education. Years later, I made a comeback to television as a professional actor, and it has been going great so far,” she shares. Namratha adds that when she read the script of Mahaan, she immediately knew it was the right project, one that could give her recognition not just in Kannada cinema, but across industries. “I have admired PC Shekar’s work for a very long time, and when I was offered this film that talks about the struggles of farmers, I accepted it right away. I want to break the stereotype of how female actors are presented in films, and my character here does exactly that,” she says. ‘EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS ROLE HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR ME’Currently seen in the Kannada television series Karna, Namratha admits that every step of her cinema comeback has been a challenge. “In television, we exaggerate emotions, but in cinema I had to unlearn that and underplay my character a lot. The role I play in this film is unlike anything I have done before, so everything about this project has been a challenge for me,” she says, adding that she hopes that good scripts come her way after Mahaan’s release.