Suresh Kavirayani
sureshkavirayani@gmail.com
Actress Ritu Varma takes the lead role in the web series Devika and Danny, marking her debut in the world of digital entertainment. Directed by Kishore, known for Sreekaram, the series also stars Surya Vasishta in the lead role, while Shiva Kandukuri plays a key character.
“I have always wanted to be part of a web series, and I was waiting for the right story to come along. When Devika and Danny were offered to me, I instantly loved it and decided to take it up,” said Ritu Varma. She also praised producer Sudhakar Chaganti for bringing such a unique project to the audience, expressing hope that more such shows will follow in the future.
Ritu, who dons sarees throughout the series, doesn’t see much difference between working on films and web series. “The only major difference is that web series tend to have longer working hours. Otherwise, it feels pretty much the same,” she shared.
She describes her character, Devika, as an innocent and timid school teacher who undergoes a significant transformation in later episodes. “In the initial episodes, my character appears calm, but as the story progresses, you’ll witness her evolution, which I found very interesting to portray,” said Ritu.
After reading the synopsis, she had an immediate feeling that the show would be a success. “This is the first time I had such a strong intuition about a project. The writing of my character and all the other roles felt very well-rounded and that is why I chose to be a part of this series,” she explained.
Devika and Danny will begin streaming on Jio Hotstar from June 6 and the first two episodes were recently shown to the media. The series hints at a ghostly twist to Surya Vasishta’s character, which promises to keep the audience on the edge of their seats.
Asked if she had ever experienced any spooky encounters in real life, Ritu responded, “No, I’ve always been a little scared of horror stories, but thankfully I’ve never faced anything like that.”
Ritu believes her role in Devika and Danny is one of the most special moments of her career. “I always look for inspiration in my roles and Devika has given me just that. Compared to my films, this web series is certainly a standout,” she said.
