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Mamatha Bhukya

Mamatha was born on the 14th of July 1991 in a village called Garjanapalli in Andhra to Vijaya and Bhukya Loomna 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.

Urmila Dammannagari

Urmila was born on the 25th of June 1948 in a village called Boorgula in Andhra to Ramaiah and Chandramma – both farmers. Being the youngest of 6 children, she studied until the 6th grade, after which her parents couldn’t afford her education anymore. She was married at the age of 9 to Shankaraiah - a small time Businessman in a vegetable market, with whom she had 4 children. When her husband died in 2000 leaving her little, she found work in a mineral water company as a Bottle Sealer. However, she soon had to give it up due to health problems. Desperate, she saw an ad in a newspaper for “household help” – a ploy that Rajnesh had used to attract unwary actors-to-be.

Shocked and completely taken aback when she found out the real motive of the ad, she nevertheless took on the role and the 25km commute, quickly becoming not just an assured actor, but a mother-hen to a brood of young actors in training.

Krishnamma Gundimalla

Krishnamma was born on the 15th of June 1940 in a village named Kotta Ganji in Andhra to Ramaiah & Basamma - two hotel workers. As the eldest of 4 children she had to take on much of the responsibility of rearing her siblings while her parents worked. She was married at 9 to G.Narsiah - an agricultural laborer with whom she had 5 children. After her husband’s death, she began work as a laborer carrying baskets of bricks on her head to make ends meet.

That was when she was called in for an interview with more than 250 similar people. Her selection occurred in November 2004, barely two months before the shoot, and learning not just the dialogue, but acting as well, was a Herculean task to say the least. Her favorite scene is the one where she consoles Vanaja after the rape. She had brought chilly paste to rub into her eyes, in the fear that she wouldn’t be able to cry. When the time came, however, she became so emotionally engaged that it took half an hour to convince her that it was only a scene.

Karan Singh

Karan was born on the 20th of Oct 1979 in a town called Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. His father worked in the army – and this necessitated that the family travel both frequently and widely in India, before eventually settling in Andhra in 1992. In Hyderabad, Karan pursued a Bachelor’s in Commerce at Wesley College and graduated in 1999 but later decided to pursue a career in modeling, working for names such as Tahiliani, Rocky S. and Rohit Bal. He won an award in the 2003 Grasim Mr. India competition, and would now like to switch to films.

Bhavani Renukunta

Bhavani was born on the 26th of April 1991 in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh to Sambamurthy and Ganga Renukunta. Her father worked as a helper in a clothes shop while her mother managed the home, and Bhavani is their youngest child amongst three. During the time of her interview at Varija Films, she was an eighth grader in a government high school in Secunderabad. She loves mathematics, and would like to pursue a career in engineering. He favorite scene is the one where she chastises Vanaja for not feeding the baby. She says that she loved mothering the child so much that the entire scene took on an especially personal meaning.

Krishna Garlapati

Krishna was born Circa 1986 in the village of Narselagudem in northern Andhra to Jagan and Mangamma. Jagan worked as a well digger, but during the harvest, switched to thrashing rice. Mangamma cut paddy in the fields. Krishna began work at 10, herding goats, but when he was 12, he lost his mother to a protracted bout of T.B. His younger brother, Prabhu (who acts as Yadigiri – the brat who taunts Vanaja) was three at the time. Krishna then moved to the neighboring village of Maibad and began working in a bicycle repair shop.

Three years later, when the rains failed, Jagan moved the family to Hyderabad - the capital, and began work along with Krishna as laborers digging trenches. His entire family (father and brother) was interviewed in 2002 following which both Krishna and Prabhu acted in several of Rajnesh’s short films. His father passed away to AIDS in 2003.

Prabhu Garlapati

Prabhu was born Circa 1994 in Narselagudem, and is Krishna’s younger brother (see biodata above). He came with his father and brother for Varija Films’ interview, and was so shy in the beginning that he refused to look at people around him. He studies in the 2nd grade now, and lives with Rajnesh’s parents. His favorite subject is math, because, he says, he finds it easy. His favorite scene is the one where he stands atop a staircase and threatens Vanaja and Ram Babu with dire consequences if they don’t do something dirty. He wants to be an engineer when he grows up.