Rooted IN Stardust

RASHMIKA MANDANNA's rise is a story of hard work, gratitude, and staying grounded. The rare thrill of achieving superstardom while remaining true to oneself is a story few can tell – one she shares exclusively with Parul Karn

- Parul Karn

In a boarding school in Gonikoppal, Karnataka, little Rashmika Mandanna would doze off after watching TV from 9 PM to 9.30 PM, after eventful days filled with physical activity and classroom sessions. “Growing up in a hostel, my exposure to cinema was quite limited,” she shares. “We had just 30 minutes of TV time each day, often spent watching news or music channels such as MTV.” These fleeting moments of screen time became a small window into the larger world beyond her hostel walls.

Going back home to Coorg, Karnataka, during the vacations used to be her chance to watch anime and occasionally go to the cinema with her dad to watch films – but only once or twice a year. “This limited exposure probably explains why I never imagined I would become an actor one day,” she says, reflecting on her career and the trajectory it has taken. “I didn’t even have the thought on my radar. You know how you see actors and actresses and admire them from a distance? I had no idea or inclination that I’d ever be part of that world!”