Many people told Ranjith not to cast me in 'Ravanaprabhu,' says actress Vasundhara Das

Actor Vasundhara Das said that through Ravanaprabhu, she has experienced the love of Malayalis in Kerala and across the world for the past 24 years. She is happy that the film’s re-release in 4K is giving audiences another chance to enjoy it on the big screen. She was speaking in an interview with Matinee Now ahead of the film’s re-release.

“Before Ravanaprabhu, I had acted in the film Citizen. During its shooting, I was completely exhausted and didn’t want to do another movie. That is when Ranjith came and narrated the story of Ravanaprabhu. He explained how much effort he had put into shaping the character of Janaki,” Vasundhara recalled about how the film came to her.

She said, “I wanted to do commercial films that had strong female characters. That is what I was looking for, and the description of Janaki impressed me. Later, Ranjith told me that many people had advised him not to cast me in the film. Since I am someone who thinks independently and makes my own decisions, they had said I wouldn’t fit. But he stood firm in his decision, and I will always be grateful to him for that.”

“While shooting Ravanaprabhu, I never imagined how the film would influence my life. It is hard to believe that 24 years have passed since release. The love and recognition I received from Malayalis across the world remain my my biggest achievements. Wherever I go, someone will walk up to me and ask, ‘Aren’t you Vasundhara Das?’ When I say yes, they say that I am a Malayali. I know what that means, even if others around me don’t. It’s because something I did touched their hearts. I’ve never felt alone anywhere on this planet — I know that if I connect with any Malayali association anywhere in the world, I’ll always find support.”

She also recalled a funny incident during the shoot. “In one scene, Jagadish’s character comes to kidnap Janaki. But I couldn’t stop laughing during the scene, so we had to take several retakes. It was hilarious because he said, ‘I’ve come to kidnap you!’ in such a comic tone that I burst out laughing every single time. I just couldn’t keep a straight face!” Vasundhara laughed.

Even today, she added, taxi drivers and airport staff still greet her with the line ‘Savaari girigiri!’, a fond reference to her memorable scene from the film.