Shivarajkumar took the backseat; let the women take a lead: A Harsha

Leading ladies of Shivarajkumar-starrer, Vedha - Umashree, Ganavi Laxman, Aditi Sagar, Shweta Chengappa and Veena Ponappa - have shone the brightest in the actor’s milestone 125th film. From giving some fabulous performances to sending out a stern message to erring men, these leading ladies have set a new standard for commercial films, which are usually filled with misogynistic ideologies. During a chat with BT, Vedha director A Harsha, revealed that in today’s age, there was a need to send out a strong message.
“Taking up Vedha, Shivarakumar’s 125th film, was exciting because, apart from the commercial aspect of cinema, this was a story about child abuse. There are victims among us, and within us, and abuse against women is a reality. This film had the guts to speak out about it, and encourage women to stand up for themselves. The message is voiced out strongly - respect women. Zee Studios is proud that this one is our first complete production, and the first baby will always remain special.” — Lakshmi Narayan, Zee Studios Head, Karnataka

Meet the strong women from Vedha
‘Umashree the Den mother’

One of the senior most actor, Umashree, plays Vedha’s close aide, Shakri. She is one of the most memorable characters in the first half of Vedha. “She had so many questions about her character and only after she got satisfactory answers, she gave a nod. Getting into minute details also helped me get a desired output.”

‘Ganavi Laxman - the poster girl

Ganavi, who plays Shivarajkumar’s wife, Pushpa, the first and the only choice for the role, the director reveals. “I saw her draped in a saree in a poster of her previous film, Hero. We didn’t look further because she looked the part. She also gladly hopped on board. I was totally in love with Pushpa’s character while writing the script,” he says.

‘Aditi Sagar’s silence speaks louder’

Vedha is Aditi’s debut film, but she has put up an equally powerful performances, on par with the seniors. Aditi plays Shivarajkumar’s daughter Kanaka. “I have seen her since she was a kid. She is a very shy, quiet girl and her biggest strength is her silence and her sharp facial features. She was trained by stunt choreographer Chetan for a month as her role demand it and she has done so well.”

‘Breaking stereotypes with Shweta Chengappa’

Shweta Chengapp’s character, Paari, a prostitute, was written to break the stereotypes surrounding sex work. “I wanted someone who is beautiful but also strong. She has the most wonderful dialogues,” Harsha said.

‘Veena Ponappa got the eyes for it’

Veena plays Rama, a tough cop chasing Vedha and his daughter. “I zeroed in on Veena after searching a lot. I asked her to put on weight and her eyes were a plus point,” he concludes.