The Telugu action-drama film Pushpa: The Rise has been garnering rave reviews for its engaging screenplay and brilliant performance by the actors. With a perfect mix of drama, romance, action and a dash of thrill, the film left the audience hooked till the end.
People are already looking forward to the film’s sequel, Pushpa 2: The Rule, and Rashmika Mandaana’s charming performance has a major role to play in this.
Even though the movie was largely a one-man show of Allu Arjun as Pushpa, the titular character, Rashmika did an amazing job in her limited time on-screen as Srivalli, the simple, cheery, lady love of Pushpa.
If you loved Rashmika’s portrayal in Pushpa, here are 8 films starring her you definitely should watch.
1. Kirik Party
Marking the acting debut of Rashmika, Kirik Party became one of the highest grossing Kannada film all times. The film, about college life and the mischiefs accompanying it, cast Rashmika as Saanvi, a bold, intellectual girl, who was at times moralistic and at times, philosophical. We loved how she played her part perfectly, easily slipping into the skin of her character.
2. Anjani Putra
A remake of the 2014 Tamil film Poojai, Anjani Putra starred Rashmika as the love interest of Viraj, portrayed by Puneeth Rajkumar. Her performance as a ‘bratty’ rich girl who later undergoes a change in her personality, was praised by many, and she even won an award for best actress for her role.
3. Bheeshma
A commercial success, the 2020 romantic-comedy film Bheeshma revolves around a company’s new product and its CEO Bheeshma’s attempts to save the company from trouble with the help of an employee Chaitra, played by Rashmika Mandanna. Her performance as an ambitious and opinionated woman surely won us over.
4. Chamak
A romantic-comedy about a misled marriage and subsequent hate-love story between the couple, Chamak had Rashmika and Ganesh in the lead roles. People loved Rashmika’s dual personality in the film, as she portrayed both her roles, as a coy, docile and traditional Indian girl and a wild, carefree and free-spirited woman, with perfection.
5. Geetha Govindam
The 2018 Telugu film was a huge commercial success, earning praise for its screenplay and performances. Rashmika Mandanna plays the lead role of Geetha, who is a prejudiced, witty girl with a no-nonsense attitude. She garnered critical acclaim for her performance and won many awards, like Zee Cine Awards Telugu and Filmfare Awards South.
6. Dear Comrade
The critically acclaimed 2019 film is a love story between a student union rebel, played by Vijay Devarakonda, and a girl chasing her dreams, played by Rashmika. The actress portrayed Lilly, a state level cricket player, a role quite different from what she had done in the past. She won the South Indian International Movie Critics Award for the role.
7. Sarileru Neekevvaru
The action-comedy movie, revolving around an army major’s covert mission and his ensuing journey, reportedly became the 41st highest-grossing film of 2020 worldwide. Rashmika starred alongside actor Mahesh Babu, and her chirpy portrayal won her praise from the audience.
8. Chalo
A romantic-comedy released in 2018, Chalo was received positively by audiences in India and overseas. It traces the journey of an inter-caste couple who fall in love and try to convince their families for their marriage by overcoming cross-state enmity. Rashmika played one of the leads of the film and successfully portrayed Karthika, a simple and short-tempered engineering student.
In a primarily male-dominated industry, Mandanna, even with limited screen-time, has managed to win over the audience, fast becoming an actor to look out for.