Pranitha Subhash is making her Bollywood debut with Bhuj: The Pride Of India
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; October 4, 2019)

Actress Pranitha Subhash, who has acted in over 26 films in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages, is happy to have found a perfect launchpad in Bollywood.

She has been cast opposite Ajay Devgn in the upcoming war drama, Bhuj: The Pride Of India. Her character has been modelled on Usha Karnik, Squadron Leader Vijay Karnik’s wife. The latter, played by Ajay, was the supervisor of Bhuj airport (Gujarat) during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

Pranitha says, “Apart from the fact that it’s a strong character, I was also drawn to the film because the story is based on real incidents and people. The construction of the Bhuj airstrip, overnight, was a key event in the 1971 war.”

About her role, she adds, “Down South, I have predominantly acted in typical candy-floss films, where I have played cheerful college-girl roles with songs and romantic scenes. In this film, I play a married Maharashtrian woman, who was crucial in getting other women together, to build the Bhuj runway overnight, in the thick of the war. The team had already met Usha ji in the course of their research. As a part of my prep, I, too, was given a lot of information on her, and I used my imagination in the scenes where there were no details available. So, it was challenging.”

Ask her about the difference in the style of functioning between Bollywood and South films, and she replies, “I think all industries are warm, inclusive and professional. I had to audition to get my way in. Apart from nailing the looks, I was also screen-tested for my dialogue delivery and display of emotions. On the set, Ajay sir and Sonakshi (Sinha) were very welcoming. They made me feel at home.”