Vijay makes me want to be a better version of myself: Rashmika Mandanna | Kannada Movie News

For someone who has spent much of her career constantly on the move, Rashmika Mandanna is learning to slow down. A back injury that kept her away from the sets for nearly a month has given the actor something she rarely had before: time to pause, stay home and simply be present. The break came soon after her February wedding to actor Vijay Deverakonda, giving her an unexpected opportunity to settle into married life and spend time with her new family.In her first exclusive interview with Bangalore Times since her wedding, Rashmika opens up about life with her new family, returning to work with Vijay and why the forced pause has taught her to appreciate life in the moment. Excerpts:‘After the injury, I got to spend a lot of quality time at home’“Honestly, this is probably the longest I have stayed at home since I started my career. I have always been working, travelling and moving from one place to another. Suddenly having to sit at home because of an injury was very different,” Rashmika says. But she is not complaining because she got to spend a lot of quality time at home after the wedding. “In a strange way, I think I needed this grounding because I was so busy until now. Frankly, there has been so much love and positivity from everyone. Viju’s fans and my fans have come together as one big family,” she smiles, hinting at the closeness that has earned the couple their nickname, ViRosh.‘Viju, dad, paapa and Anand pamper me’Talking about her new family, Rashmika says, “I cannot even begin to describe how happy and grateful I am to be part of this family. I call Viju’s mum Paapa, which translates to ‘baby’ in Telugu. She is as innocent, sweet and wonderful as a baby. I love her so much. She is the sunshine in our lives.”She adds, “We have so much in common and I feel like both our energies are a perfect match. When I see Viju and Anand and the gentle souls they are, I can see where they get those qualities from. Sometimes I don’t even have to say anything. Paapa knows exactly what I have in mind. Anand is a brother I love so dearly and it’s the same with dad. I feel fortunate to have Viju in my life.”‘I wanted to show Viju the place where I spent my childhood’As many relatives from Coorg were unable to attend Rashmika and Vijay’s wedding in Udaipur, the couple decided to spend some time with them after the wedding. “I wanted Viju to see the place where I come from, so we went to Coorg for two days and it was lovely,” she shares.“I had even decided that I wanted to spend my 30th birthday there and it was truly worth it. I was so glad we could go to the Iguthappa temple, which means so much to me. I also spent a lot of time with my childhood friends,” Rashmika recalls, adding, “I showed Vijay where I studied, took him to my school on our way back to Mysore and revisited a lot of memories with him. Both our families were together, so we celebrated, spent time with each other and just had fun.”‘I’m thrilled by the sheer variety of roles coming my way’On the career front, Rashmika says she is excited by the diversity of characters she is getting to play on screen and is conscious of not allowing herself to be typecast.“There was a time when women probably didn’t get the opportunity to headline films or have stories written specifically for them. Today, there is definitely more space. But ultimately, it depends on the story,” she says, adding, “I think women still have a long way to go in cinema.”Rashmika adds that a film doesn’t necessarily have to be “hero-led or heroine-led.” She says, “What matters is that the story and filmmaking is good and it reaches the right people.” Success matters to Rashmika, but she doesn’t let her choices be dictated by it. “I’ve set standards for myself and like to meet them,” she notes.‘Viju and I don’t bring work home’Rashmika will soon return to the sets of Ranabaali, her third film with Vijay and first since the pair got married. Although they leave work at the door when they’re home, she says the two of them constantly push each other creatively on set.“I find Viju to be a fascinating actor. We never bring our work home. But on set, it’s a different story. We are two actors who constantly want to up our game. Sometimes one of us will ask, ‘Can I do this scene better?’ or ‘How can I approach this differently?’ We keep asking each other questions. I think that is beautiful — when you have someone who wants you to become a better version of yourself. And I want to be that person for him too,” Rashmika shares. “Viju is fabulous in every way — a great actor and a brilliant human being,” she gushes.‘The break taught me to slow down and be present’“For someone who is so active and passionate about fitness, I really thought I could handle it all. But one second can change your life. The injury made me think about how much we take everyday things for granted — walking, working, being around people, simply being able to do what you want,” she shares.Rashmika also says the Nepal floods made her think about how unpredictable life can be. “It is insane when you see things like that happening. You realise how fragile everything is. I just feel like telling people to be in the moment. Do what makes you feel peaceful and happy. Be present and cherish the people around you. That is something I have learnt during this break,” she says.