‘It was crucial for me to master the Telangana accent, which I did quite effectively in Razakar’

SHIKHA DUGGAL
After seeing the film Razakar, if you were unaware of the genocide that took place during the ‘Nizam’ era, you will be in complete shock. It all boils down to actress Vedhika, who underwent a dramatic makeover for a brief cameo. Your spine will tingle when you see the horrors committed and the coerced religious conversions; the actress tells us how they are depicted in an unrestrained, gut-wrenching way. There are plenty of poignant moments, and that’s shared by our Tollywood interviewee of the day!
“I was very inclined towards taking up this “historical endeavour” for various reasons,” she explains. “Take one example. I was curious to learn about the history of the ‘Nizamis’ as well. While we greatly exalt the independence we gained following the partition, there is another kind of independence that we, the princely state, are currently experiencing that is hardly discussed. I have a newfound respect for the earlier freedom fighters who contributed to the kingdom’s survival after being a part of this film. Seeing that there were women who made a difference is intriguing! The woman I was portraying wanted to defend her territory, and I felt sympathy for her. In order to appreciate the seriousness of Razakar, I did a lot of research on historical movies. It was crucial for me to master the Telangana accent, which I did quite effectively.”
Vedhika’s filmography will inevitably surprise anyone looking at it, given the dramatic changes in the cinema business that she has brought about. She also took a risk, despite the fact that prominent figures in the Tollywood film business did not want to be linked to Razakar. She answered rather nonchalantly, “Everyone thinks for himself; I’m not sure what their thought processes were. I didn’t even say “yes” right away! I educated myself on the film’s subject first, taking my own time. Later, I discovered that there is a very capable technical team on board. The production company didn’t make any cuts to the movie’s budget.
With a highly expressive note, Vedhika says in the interview, raising the question of why this story hasn’t been explored in history books thus far: “With every scene, I was getting educated. One should see this movie right now if they don’t know much about Hyderabad’s past. Many ‘Hyderabadis’ are unaware of the horrors their own state endured even after gaining independence, which is regrettable. For me, everything was a revelation, more so when I’m not from Hyderabad! My soul was rocked, and I became even more engrossed in the film when commoners started fighting for freedom.”
The Home Minister fame in all due confidence, says, “As far as I’m concerned, I haven’t seen any mixed reviews yet. We’re getting four stars from major newspapers! And we are worthy of that. I’m not here to please everyone, either. The fact that the twin states are “talking” about our film makes it much more captivating. Conversations are taking place!”
Our next question, which deals with the significant transformation that left us all stunned when the poster was released, is addressed by her earlier response. “I cannot be doing repetitive roles over and over again,” remembers Vedhika. “Running around trees in South Cinema is not what I desire! It all boils down to the sheer volume of nominations I am receiving for various awards ceremonies. I get to be who I really am in my everyday life on social media, even though I go through drastic changes for cult movies like this. Isn’t this incredible? I am really grateful to the South film business for providing me with such “solid” roles. I am relishing every aspect of it. I am a prominent actress today, and I am in that safe zone! It takes intelligence to be glam on social media and radically different on celluloid.”
In keeping with her prior statement, she goes on, “This time, I was experiencing the feelings from the film Razakar. There was no choice except to combine art and history. The patriotism in me was my entire reason for doing Razakar. It wasn’t a movie about a romantic duo or raunchy music. I came into this position with a greater goal! In my own way, I was attempting to honour the unsung heroes.”