Anu Emmanuel Opens Up on Playing Durga in 'The Girlfriend'

In a revealing interview, actress Anu Emmanuel shared her journey and insights on portraying the pivotal character Durga in The Girlfriend . She was initially apprehensive about how her role would be perceived. The Naa Peru Surya actress admits to a brief period of anxiety in the first half of the film, wondering how the audience would receive Durga. However, she was quickly put at ease by director Rahul Ravindran's distinctive approach. She lauded him as a "very sensitive filmmaker" who provided every actor with equal, careful guidance. Initially, Anu herself gave "exaggerated expressions" for Durga. Rahul, however, encouraged her to "tone it down and act as naturally as possible." This focus on realism was a game-changer, allowing her to bring genuine authenticity to the role. Adding to the naturalistic portrayal, Anu dubbed for her character herself, with Rahul specifically asking her to use an American accent. She found this choice made Durga's presence even more organic on screen. The ultimate validation came when she watched the film in the theater and was "thrilled" by the audience's applause during several of her scenes. When she joined the project, Rashmika Mandanna had already been cast as Bhooma. Anu emphasized that she never harbored any desire to play Bhooma's role, as she appreciated the film's philosophy toward character development. Reflecting on Durga's depth, Anu offered a powerful observation: "To become someone like Durga, one must first go through what Bhooma goes through." Also Read : The Thaandavam Song from Akhanda 2 to be mighty, says Thaman The Paradise: Massive set to resemble Falaknuma Palace