Mamatha Bhukya

Mamatha Bhukya was born on the 14th of July 1991 in a village called Garjanapalli in Andhra to Lumna and Vijaya Naik. She is the youngest of 6 girls in a family where her father works as a forest officer and her mother is a housewife. She was studying in the eighth grade of a Telugu medium government school when she was selected and cast in the film.

Never having learnt dance or acting before was both intimidating and a challenge, as she had to learn both within a year. Although her initial ambition was to be a doctor, given the time spent in training for the film, and the enormous amount she feels she has learnt, she is now determined to make her mark as an actress and a Kuchipudi dancer.

Her favorite scene is the one where Vanaja returns with her father to the landlady’s house begging to be taken back. Although only 15, she feels that she internalized the character of a mother so deeply that she couldn’t stop crying even well after the scene was over. It was also one of the happiest moments for her to see tears in the eyes of the watching crew. They were so moved that they couldn’t help but burst into heartfelt applause as she was led out.

About Vanaja Movie: Director's Note

VANAJA Movie: In Telugu with English Subtitles (Length: 111 Minutes)

Set in rural South India, a place where social barriers are built stronger than fort walls, VANAJA explores the chasm that divides classes as a young girl struggles to come of age. Vanaja (Mamatha Bhukya) is the 14 year-old daughter of a poor, low caste fisherman, struggling with dwindling catches and mounting debt. When a sooth-sayer predicts that she will be a great dancer one day, she goes to work in the house of the local landlady, Rama Devi (Urmila Dammannagari), in hopes of learning Kuchipudi dance while earning a keep.

She is hired as a farmhand, and her vivacious ways and spunk soon catch the landlady’s eye: when she is entrusted with tending the chicken, she’s caught, instead, chasing them into a general pandemonium, and lying unabashedly to conceal her pranks. To keep her out of trouble, Rama Devi promotes her to a kitchen underhand, where she comes up against the old, crusty and extremely loyal Radhamma (Krishnamma Gundimalla) – Rama Devi’s cook.

It isn’t long before Vanaja gets herself invited to play a game of ashta chamma against Rama Devi. Seeing that losing isn’t the mistress’s forte, Vanaja deliberately gives up her game – a fact that doesn’t go unnoticed - and which eventually secures her the landlady’s mentorship – first in music, and then in dance. Vanaja excels at the art, and seems to be on a steadily ascending path when Shekhar (Karan Singh), Rama Devi’s 23 year old son – handsome, muscular and rather insecure, returns from the US to run for local political elections.

Sexual chemistry is ignited between Shekhar and Vanaja (still a minor at 15), as flirtation and innuendo bloom. But, the situation suddenly turns ugly when Vanaja’s superior intellect pits her against Shekhar in a public incident which ultimately humiliates him in front of his mother. Matters escalate, spiraling downwards and she is pitched into a tale of class, family and animus from which there is only one escape.

About Director Rajnesh Domalpalli

Rajnesh Domalpalli comes from Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh in South India. He was born in Chennai, but spent his childhood in small rural towns associated with dam construction projects where his father worked as a civil engineer for the Andhra government.

After completing his B. Tech in EE from the IIT Mumbai in 1984 and an MS from SUNY, SB in 1986 he worked as a Computer Engineer in California’s Silicon Valley before deciding to take up Film at Columbia University in New York and graduating with an MFA in 2006.

“Vanaja” is not only his first Feature but also his Thesis at Columbia. Rajnesh loves writing, and feels that it is the greatest challenge in making a good film. While at the IIT, he had dabbled in penning short stories during his spare time, and one of these, “The Dowry” was eventually picked up and broadcast by BBC’s World Service in Sept 1984 and Aug 1989. College was also where he was introduced to South Indian classical music on the veena, before following it up with several years of training in the vocal tradition.

Rajnesh’s other passions are photographing with friends in the California Sierras and wildlife. He currently splits his time between Hyderabad and New York.

For Vanaja Movie Contacts:

SALES: Ira Deutchman, Josh Green

Emerging Pictures, 245 W 55th St, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10019, USA.

+01 (212) 245-6767 (Tel), +01 (212) 202-4984 (Fax)

PRODUCTION HOUSE:

Naveen Challa

Varija Films Pvt. Ltd., 8-2-120/ C/ 88/ 1, Road No.2, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500-033, INDIA

+91 (40) 2354-4248 (Tel), +91 9849-117083 (Cell)