Chandini Chowdhury pins high hopes on Manu

After making her presence felt in Life is Beautiful and Prema Ishq Kadhal, Chandini Chowdary's roles as the leading lady in Ketugadu, Kundanapu Bomma, Shamantakamani and Howrah Bridge, which proved to be insignificant. However, the starlet is in no mood to give up. “I’m quite happy with my career and absolutely have no regrets for not making it big. Despite winning critical acclaim for my performances in a slew of films, I should admit that the commercial success still eludes me. The road to stardom is never easy. I am willing to work hard and exercise endless patience,” says Chandini, who awaits the release of mystery-thriller Manu. The film also starring Raja Gautam is scheduled to release on September 7.

The Visakhapatnam girl says her role in this film gave her ample scope to showcase her acting talent. “I will be seen as Neela, a simple girl leading a simple life. I tried to perform naturally without applying any makeup and I have never used glycerin while shooting the emotional scenes. I was in awe of the role that I couldn’t get over it and spent weeks in a specially constructed set in the outskirts of Miyapur to get my act right.”

Revealing that she attended an acting workshop for the film, Chandini says, “For the first time, I have attended a 45-day workshop to prepare for my role. Such was the impact it has created on me and I don’t shy away from calling it my career-defining performance.”

The film’s director Phanindra Narisetty has spearheaded the crowdfunding campaign for Manu."Phanindra had the script of Manu but fell short of finances to take the project forward. A post on his Facebook wall seeking the support of people worked wonders for us and eventually, Manu has become a crowd-funded film,” recalls Chandini.

The film has been in the making for over two years. Clarifying on the delay, “About 80 per cent of the film was shot indoors. Phanindra took ample time to complete the shoot as he is someone who doesn’t compromise on the quality. Adding to that, the film was shot in the outskirts of the city where there is mosquito menace. The entire unit fell ill causing delay in the shooting schedule,” shares Chandini.

The actor has pinned hopes on the film. “Manu is going to be that film which will prove my worth as an actor. I wish this film stands out as a winner,” signs off Chandini, who is in no hurry to sign her next feature film.