KANNIKA- HEROINE OF RAJAKUMARI
Baari Chuti Huduga Master Kishen

Interview by - CNB           Photos by K.M. VEERESH                Date - 28th July  2007

Kanika is her name in the film industry, but her real name in Divya. The glamorous Kanika who is presently acting in K. Manju’s new film Rajakumari directed by S.Govindoo has already worked in films like Sye with Sudeep and Annaavru with Darshan. She is a Mechanical Engineering graduate from the BITS, Pilani, but preferred to be in the film industry when she was offered a role by none other than top notch film director Manirathnam. Now, the girl has no regrets as she has already worked in films of all the four South Indian languages.

Kanika started her acting career as the heroine in Susie Ganesan's Five Star, a film produced by Mani Ratnam's Madras Talkies. Her first Kannada film is Annaavru directed by Om Prakash Rao which was a remake of Manirathnam directed Rajnikanth starrer Dalapathy.. And she has also acted in a Telugu film with Srikanth.

Her latest major films include Kannada film Rajakumari and Hariharan directed Malayalam film Pazhassiraja. In this film she is paired opposite to Mammootty and the film is based on a story written by Jnanpith award winner M T Vasudevan Nair.

` I am extremely happy about my role in Rajakumari. It is a wonderful team to work with. Director Govindoo sir is very specific about things he wants from artists. Unless he is fully satisfied about a scene he will not give a nod of acceptance. And the whole team is full of young people who want to do something. My hero Balaji is also helpful in giving me useful tips. I have not yet completed sequences with Ravi sir who is yet to join our unit. I am now taking a break to go to Chennai and returning to Bangalore after a week. Then I will shoot with Ravi sir in a few sequences and songs’ said Kanika to `Chitraloka’ mega portal before leaving to Chennai.

And Kannika has also dubbed her voice for two big films `Anniyan’ and `Sivaji’ directed by Shankar. `I would not have accepted the offer to dub my voice for any other director. But since Shankar is a big name in the industry and he is known for his perfect work, I thought why I should not give a try in this new space. The first offer to dub for heroine Sada in `Anniyan’ came to me when I was working with Madhavan for K S Ravikumar's 'Ethiri'. My role was that of a naughty Brahmin girl. I think Shankar liked my accent in the film. Later on Shankar called me for a voice test for Anniyan. Thirty voices were tested when they finally called me to say that they were happy with my accent and modulation. And of course, I was again called to dub for Shreya’s voice in `Sivaji’ says Kannika.