Anushka Shetty in a poster of Rudhramadevi.
Actress Anushka Shetty said that she was moved by the emotional story of warrior queen
Rudhramadevi, which is why she agreed to be a part of the Telugu project that is based on the life of the queen.
Rudhramadevi, which is directed by Gunasekhar, is scheduled to release on October 9.
"What really drew me to the project was the emotional turmoil Rudhramadevi went through as a woman. It was so intense. She still ruled with compassion, cared for her people and kingdom more than her own life," Anushka told IANS.
Set against the backdrop of the Kakatiya dynasty, the film narrates the rise of the ferocious warrior queen
Rudhramadevi.(Also Read:
Vikramjeet Virk: Anushka Fought Like a True Warrior in Rudhramadevi)
With limited reference material available on
Rudhramadevi and the period in which she ruled, Anushka had to faithfully follow the vision of her director in order to play her part.
"This is Gunasekhar's story. So I chose to see it from his point of view. I trusted his vision and blindly followed his lead. My character was developed based on the research, including discussions with several historians," she added.
"Even though very limited information was available, what Gunasekhar had gathered to write the story, was very impressive," said Anushka.
Anushka also had to undergo rigorous training in order to prepare for her role.
"I had to learn sword fighting, horse riding and also had to ride an elephant. We have a lot of scenes on an elephant in the film and through the course of the shoot, I developed a wonderful bond with an elephant called Lakshmi. It was so much fun shooting," she said.
"We had to rely a lot on VFX (visual effects). Gunasekhar and art director Thota Tharani spent months in Warangal, studying the remains of the Kakatiya dynasty. Hundreds of sketches were made and that were later recreated with the help of sets and VFX," said Anushka.
The actress also said that she does not have time for marriage."I'm busy for the next four years. I wish someone can find me a guy. I want to settle down but not soon," she said.
Anushka will next be seen with Suriya in the third part of the
Singam franchise.
"It always feels nice to be associated with a team you share a great bond with. When we worked for the first time, we never expected the film to become such a popular franchise, which has now become a brand. So, reuniting with the same team feels special," she added.
She's also excited about the Tamil-Telugu bilingual film
Size Zero, in which she plays the role of an overweight woman.
"I'm really proud of this project. I was so excited when I heard the script. I immediately grabbed the opportunity without even realising that I was required to gain about 20 kgs," she added.
The film also features Arya with whom Anushka has been linked since the past few months.
However, she brushed aside the rumour.
"It's not just Arya. I am linked with every actor I've worked with so far. I've stopped taking such rumours seriously," said Anushka.