Mar 10, 2025 06:17 PM IST
At the Bengaluru International Film Festival on a panel on women in cinema, Ramya narrated how she was treated when she signed her film.
The Sandalwood Queen, as Kannada star Ramya is known, is back on the silver screen after a gap of nearly a decade. She has just signed a film with director Yogaraj Bhat with whom she worked with previously in Ranga SSLC starring Kichcha Sudeepa. The Sanju Weds Geetha actress was last seen on screen in the 2016 film Nagarahavu but turned producer with her Applebox Studios and made the award-winning film Swathi Mutthina Male Haniye in 2023. (Also Read: Kannada star Ramya stands by Rashmika Mandanna: ‘Stop trolling her’)
Ramya opens up about her first film
Speaking at the Bengaluru International Film Festival on a panel on women in cinema, Ramya narrated how she was treated when she signed her film Abhi, starring Puneeth Rajkumar, in 2003. “When I did my first film, Abhi, the director didn’t even give me a script. When I arrived on set, he simply asked me to run. I had no idea who I was running to or why. By my second film, Excuse Me, I was given the script — at least until the interval. That felt like progress! From those early days to reaching a point where directors began writing scripts with me in mind, I’ve come a long way.”
Ramya on not wanting to be a prop
When asked if she would continue to be just a prop in films today, Ramya emphatically replied, “No, I’ll no longer be a prop in Kannada cinema. Unfortunately, directors still come to me with roles which have a few scenes, some comedy and songs. I did this 20 years ago, and it’s still the same now. Unfortunately, there are no strong roles written for women in Kannada cinema. Kannada cinema should learn from Malayalam cinema. That’s not to say our industry hasn’t evolved. Films like Gantumoote, Sapta Sagaradaache Ello, and Aachar & Co have beautifully portrayed women. Yet, much of our films still revolve around machismo and the male star.”
The Vaaranam Aayiram actress also pointed out that other south actresses like Nayanthara, Samantha and Trisha have become extremely successful and do female-oriented films that have a good market as well.
