'I did all kinds of black magic and prayers just for that…': Anupama Parameswaran on ‘Paradha’

Malayalam film stars Anupama Parameswaran, known for her roles in hits like ‘JSK’ and ‘Premam’, and Darshana Rajendran, celebrated for her work in ‘Hridayam’ and ‘Paradise’, recently opened up about their experiences working on their upcoming Telugu film ‘Paradha’. The actresses shared candid stories about casting, challenging shoots, and the bond they formed on set.

In a recent interview with Dhanya Varma, Anupama reflected on meeting a fellow Malayali co-star on the Telugu sets, Anupama shared her excitement about Darshana joining the project. “When I heard the story of the movie, I wondered who would play the role of Ami. I never thought Darshana would take up that role because I didn’t know if she would ever do a Telugu film. I always felt that she might not,” Anupama said.

“But then the director, Praveen, and producer, Vijay, suggested that we call Darshana for the role. Hearing that, I was excited because I knew no one could do it better than her. Just because I wanted her to take up the role, I did all kinds of black magic, puja and prayers so that she would agree (laughs). She was a treasure that I had waited a long time for. Finally, when she came for the photoshoot, I was relieved knowing that she was ‘trapped’ with us because the shoot had already started.”

Darshana, making her Telugu debut with ‘Paradha’, described the physical and emotional challenges of filming.

“We donated everything for the film—blood, sweat and tears. It was intense. The terrain was difficult, and the shoots started early in the morning. The travel times were long and winding, and everyone was getting sick frequently. Maybe it was the water. Someone or the other was falling ill every day. The producer had a hard time keeping us all healthy together,” she recalled.

She added that the extended shoots helped them bond quickly. “We saw the best and worst of each other over the one-and-a-half months we were travelling together. When you travel with someone, you get to know them fast. So we bonded through all these difficult situations.”

Directed by Praveen Kandregula, ‘Paradha’ follows Subbu, a young woman from a conservative village whose life transforms during a trekking expedition. The film, which left Anupama emotional as she carried a woman-centric narrative, also stars Rag Mayur and Sangeetha, with music by Gopi Sundar and cinematography by Mridul Sen.

‘Paradha’ was filmed across diverse locations, including Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and rural villages, and is slated for release on August 22, 2025.