Raashii Khanna Reveals What Made Her Give a Nod to Rajinikanth Starrer Dharman: It had so much heart
Raashii Khanna is stepping into one of the most exciting phases of her career, especially with Dharman, co-starring the legendary Rajinikanth. Speaking about the upcoming ambitious project, Khanna says her character sits at the “emotional core of the story” and is pivotal in moulding Dharman as a person.
“After watching Dragon, I had messaged Ashwath (Marimuthu) to tell him how much I loved the film. He replied saying he’d love to collaborate with me someday. Not too long after that, he texted me again, saying, ‘The time has come.’ He narrated Dharman, and I instantly loved it. It had so much heart. And the opportunity to share screen space with Rajinikanth sir made it an easy ‘yes’,” she says.
Speaking about teaming up with the iconic star Rajinikanth, she mentions that it wasn’t just his screen presence that was striking, but also his humility and curiosity. “There was something he said that really stayed with me…he mentioned that actors are prisoners. I understood what he meant. The price of fame is a certain loss of freedom,” she adds.
She mentions that it made her reflect how fame comes with its own boundaries, and in between all of it, it’s crucial to find your own sense of freedom. “We had a lot of conversations around spirituality, inner growth, stillness and understanding oneself. When he gifted the book Living With The Himalayan Masters to me, it felt incredibly thoughtful.”
Reflecting on the initial years of her career, Khanna reveals she wished to explore as much as she could. “But after a point, you carry responsibility towards your audience,” she admits and continues, “I’d rather do fewer films that I genuinely believe in than say yes to everything. Audiences today are very perceptive. They want every character to have a purpose in the story.”
Talking further about the impact and power of social media, she mentions that it allows her to connect with people who support her. “At the same time, I’ve realised that not everything needs to be shared. I want people to remember me for the work I do rather than how much of my personal life they know,” she shares.
While there’s a significant excitement surrounding Dharman, fans of Raashii Khanna are mighty eager to know what’s following. “I’m doing a film with Akshay Kumar directed by Anees Bazmee. It’s a full-on commercial entertainer. I’ve also started shooting for Farzi 2. Then, there is Talaakhon Mein Ek with Vikrant Massey, and Bridge with Madhavan sir, which is in the psychological thriller space,” she reveals.
Khanna also desires to step into film production at some point. Talking more about it, she says, “I’d love to support films and storytellers and help bring meaningful stories to life. Direction is one of the most demanding jobs on a set. I don’t know if I’m ready to say I’ll do that. But never say never. Right now, my heart is fully invested in acting.”