While most actresses give up acting after marriage, it was the reverse for Ragini Prajwal (wife of actor Prajwal Devraj). Ragini has made a mark in the Kannada film industry with her performance in the film Law, which was released on an OTT platform. Ragini says she “never dreamt of facing the camera”; nor did she “cut off her ties with her creative side”. She continued dancing and kept herself busy with television commercials.
Ragini says she did not pay attention when the director Raghu Samarth walked into her home with the script of Law . “I thought he was there to offer my husband or my father-in- law a role. When he said the role was for me, I was surprised. We all heard the script and the entire family encouraged me to give it a shot,” explains Ragini, who plays the protagonist in the film produced by Puneeth Rajkumar’s PRK Productions.
The film not only provided Ragini with a strong role but also launched her career and she now “open to acting in films. It also has paved a way for new things. It was the first film to be released on an OTT platform during the lockdown. It is my first film after marriage. I have learnt to go with the flow.”
Ragini plays Nandini, a young girl who is assaulted and chronicles her fight for justice. “The role was not at all glamorous. Normally the heroine is waiting to dance or is seen being wooed by the hero. Law had nothing of the sort. Nandini, a law graduate was a very different character. Portraying a lawyer was a challenge,” says Ragini who has learnt Kathak from Nirupama Rajendra. Ragini has not only travelled across the world as a dancer but also teaches Kathak and is a certified Pilates trainer.
Facing the camera, Ragini says, did not give her the jitters. “I have faced the camera for my modelling career. I knew that expectations were high. I chose to act and was not forced into it. I am glad to have worked with Raghu and his team as they provided me the right platform. My role as the lead was very different from the pre-conceived notion of how a heroine should be, dress or act. Raghu gave each of us the creative freedom to emote or express as we wanted to, which was a very good experience.
A lot of homework was required for her role, Ragini says. “We attended an acting workshop before shooting. We also studied court room language and lawyers. Prajwal also helped me with the pronunciations and the intense scenes. All these things made my debut easier.”
Ragini says she would like to learn more and explore direction. “I have been involved in production on behalf of my family so exploring new avenues will be nice.”
