After a career of nearly eight years down south, the Delhi-born actor Raashi Khanna is gearing up to return to the Hindi space with more confidence in her craft.

After a string of successful Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films, actor Raashi Khanna says she is curious to see how the Hindi audience will receive her in Yodha and her two upcoming OTT shows. Khanna stars in Rudra-The Edge of Darkness with Ajay Devgn and is also a part of the untitled show by filmmaker duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK.

After a career of nearly eight years down south, the Delhi-born actor is gearing up to return to the Hindi space with more confidence in her craft. “I feel like a newcomer all over again. But this time, I am just stronger and confident in my head space because I know that I have acted in the best of my capacity as an actor. I cannot really predict how the reception is going to be like, but I have faith that it will all be good. I am also open to constructive criticism because that only helps one grow. I am nervous but confident,” Khanna told PTI.

The actor started her career with Shoojit Sircar’s Madras Cafe in 2013 but eventually made a mark with Telugu hits like Bengal Tiger, Supreme, Jr NTR starrer Jai Lava Kusa and her acclaimed Malayalam debut with Villain.
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Khanna said her wide ranging work across industries has helped her cement her position as an artiste where she finally has the privilege to choose her projects.

“Earlier scripts chose me and I am glad to have come to a place where I can choose scripts and that also comes with a huge responsibility of not disappointing the loyal fan base. Today, the criteria is to be in films that push the envelope in terms of characters and storytelling.

“I want to be in a place where I am challenged as an actor. I want to do films where I matter even if there’s less screen time and I am not just someone who’s cast to fill the space,” the 31-year-old said.

Khanna will enter the streaming space with Devgn-headlined crime-drama series Rudra-The Edge of Darkness on Disney+ Hotstar and Amazon Prime Video series, co-starring Shahid Kapoor and Vijay Sethupathi.

Rudra, which she finished filming last month, surprised the actor.
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The show is a remake of the Idris Elba-starrer successful British series Luther and is billed as an engaging and dark new take on cop stories.

“People will definitely see a new me in Rudra. There’s not much I can talk about my character but it has been the most challenging one so far, which pushed me out of my comfort zone. I quite surprised myself too because I never would have thought that I would be able to pull it off in the first place.”

With the yet-untitled Raj-DK series, the actor said the audience should expect a roller coaster ride of emotions as the show is “extremely real and raw”.

What also is the show’s strength, is its strong gender politics thanks to The Family Man makers’ gaze, Khanna added.

“After working in so many films, I realised that there are very few directors who want to break the stereotypical image of a woman on screen. Working with Raj and Dk sir was like a breath of fresh air. Their female characters are as strong as the male ones. There is only one hero – the story. Everything and everyone revolves around that,” she added.

Meanwhile, Khanna is also looking forward to join Sidharth Malhotra in the action drama Yodha, produced by Johar’s Dharma Productions and filmmaker Shashank Khaitan.

Khanna said she was instantly drawn to the film’s story and the passion of its director duo, Pushkar Ojha and Sagar Ambre.

“Obviously, also the fact that it’s a Dharma film opposite Siddharth. I think everything just fell into place. Sometimes we put limitations on our selves and maybe two years ago I would have never thought to have reached where I am today. I am glad I got this opportunity,” she added.

The actor will begin the project in January.