Nithya Shri’s first look as an investigative officer

Danseuse and actor Nithya Shri joined the cast of

Vrithra

, after Rashmika Mandanna bowed out of the film and the first look of her as an

investigative officer

is here. Directed by debutant

Gautham Iyer

, the film deals with Nithya investigating her first-ever case, which unravels on a full-moon day and wraps up on a new-moon day. “Basically, we reworked Nithya’s look from scratch as we had planned something wholly different for Rashmika, who was originally slated to play the role. While Rashmika’s look featured her with hair pulled back and a simple Chinese-collared shirt, Nithya’s look has a stark difference. She wears a bun and is in formals,” explains Gautham. He adds that during the prep sessions for the film, which spanned 15 days, Nithya interacted with female police officers — from constables to higher-ups and, during the course of these meetings, the team observed that all the women wore their hair in a bun owing to comfort and practicality factors. “These subtle changes were then incorporated into the styling of the character. Nithya also held interviews with these female cops on how they strike a work-life balance and these interactions helped her get better insight into the role she’s playing,” says Gautham, who adds that Nithya’s look in the film isn’t like a regular heroine who has been glammed up by a team of stylists. “We have kept it real and that is what will make the first look so relatable,” sums up the director