‘That Was Terrifying’: Rukmini Vasanth On Playing The Villain In Kantara Chapter 1

Taking risks early in one’s career can be daunting, and actor Rukmini Vasanth is candid about just how overwhelming that moment was for her. Looking back at her decision to take on a negative role in Kantara

Chapter 1, the actor says the offer was both exciting and frightening, largely because of the unspoken expectations placed on female actors in the industry.

Released last year, Kantara Chapter 1 went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of the year, with Rukmini drawing attention for her surprising antagonist turn. At the time, she was barely five years into her acting journey, making the choice all the more difficult.

Recalling her first conversation about the role, the 29-year-old said, “It was quite a difficult decision at that point. Kantara was a really exciting film to even be offered, obviously. Rishab Shetty sir called me about it, and I was over the moon. Then he said ‘by the way, you are the bad guy!’ I felt overwhelmed as there are pre conceived notions you hear around you.”

She explained that while no one explicitly discourages actors from experimenting, the pressure to stay within a certain mould is always present. “It’s not like anyone consciously tells you ‘you don’t do this kind of roles’ or ‘do only this kind of role’… but you hear that one should always stay in a particular kind of zone. So it felt little stressful,” she added.

Despite her hesitation, Rukmini chose to focus on the importance of the project itself. “To kind of step out of that (stress) and decide ‘This is an integral project, I would like to be involved in whatever capacity, even if it’s the antagonist’… that step was terrifying before it was taken,” she said. She admitted that the doubts resurfaced closer to the film’s release. “And then I didn’t think about it anymore for a year, until we got closer to the time of release where those anxieties popped up again. Yes, it had made me a much better human, experienced actor, but is this going to affect the rest of my work?”

Her concerns, however, proved unfounded. Following the film’s release, Rukmini received widespread praise for embracing a darker, more complex character. Reflecting on the response, she said audiences focused on her versatility. “People were appreciating the fact that female actors can take on films and roles with multiple shades. That has been very encouraging. Once the audience likes it, you don’t need to stress that much.”

Rukmini, whose casting in Yash’s upcoming film Toxic was recently announced after months of speculation, says the experience has ultimately strengthened her confidence as an actor and reinforced her belief in taking creative risks.