Riding high on a wave of successful films and a splashy Bollywood movie opposite Ranbir Kapoor in “Animal,” Rashmika Mandanna remains refreshingly down-to-earth. In a recent interview, she offered a glimpse into the realities of navigating fame and the armor needed to thrive in the industry.

“Success comes with a magnifying glass,” Rashmika acknowledged. Every action, every word is dissected and analyzed, a constant public evaluation that can be mentally draining. “You can’t escape opinions,” she explained, “but without a thick skin, it can wear you down emotionally.”

Despite her meteoric rise, Rashmika stays grounded. She recognizes the privilege of her position and the countless talented individuals who yearn for similar opportunities. “There are girls out there far more skilled and beautiful than me,” she admitted, “but I’m incredibly grateful for the chances I’ve been given.” This humility, coupled with her unwavering determination, fuels her journey in the unforgiving world of entertainment.

Next up, Rashmika juggles a busy schedule with three Telugu movies alongside a Hindi film. She’ll be seen reprising her role as Srivalli in the highly anticipated sequel, “Pushpa 2: The Rule,” alongside stylish star Allu Arjun. She’s also filming for “Rainbow” and the female-centric “The Girlfriend,” while diving back into Hindi cinema with “Chaava.”

Tamil hero Vishal has scored a hit with ‘Mark Antony’ and he is coming up with ‘Rathnam’ soon. Whilst promoting his upcoming film with director Hari, Vishwal talked about the monopoly in the Tamil industry and vented out his anger on Udhayanidhi Stalin and his ‘Red Giant Movies’ banner.

He said, “I had a major confrontation with a person in Red Giant Movies. Nobody owns Tamil cinema and if anybody claims that they do, they will not succeed in the industry. I know that person very well. In fact, I was the one who introduced him to Udhya (Udhayanidhi) in 2006 after Sandakozhi. And when he called me and asked me to postpone the release of my films, I was not able to digest it. My producer borrowed money and spent about Rs 65 crore on Mark Antony. He had also announced long ago that the film would be released on September 15 during the Ganpati festival.”

He added, “If I had kept quiet I would have lost so much. Because we released the film on that date, the producer made profits, Adhik got a career break, and I achieved a great victory. I’m sure I’ll also face similar issues for Rathnam.”

Coming to his Rathnam, Vishal and Hari teamed up for this film after hits like ‘Bharani’ and ‘Pooja’. The theatrical trailer was launched recently. Priya Bhavani Shankar is the female lead. Samuthirakani, Yogibabu and Gautham Vasudev Menon play key roles in the movie. Devi Sri Prasad is giving the music while Sukumar is the director of photography. TS Jay is the editor. Written and directed by Hari, the movie is being made under Stone Bench Films and Zee Studios. ‘Rathnam’ will be released worldwide on 26th April 2024.