Exclusive! Shekar director Jeevitha Rajashekar: My daughters achieved everything in their careers because of their merit, being industry kids didn’t help them much

eevitha Rajashekar is back in action wielding the megaphone for her actor, husband’s film, Shekar, which hit theatres on Friday. A remake of the Malayalam film Joseph, the film brings together Rajashekar and his daughter together for the first time on the big screen. Athmiya Rajan and Muskaan Khubchandani essay lead roles in the cop saga.

During her interaction with OTTplay.com before Shekar’s release, we asked Jeevitha if her daughters, Shivani and Shivathmika, had an edge with their acting careers, being industry kids and having actor-parents. However, the actress-filmmaker had an interesting story to tell.

“Both Shivani and Shivathmika were made to catch up with reality quite early in their careers. On the day when they expressed their desire to act, we told them that they need to be sincere, and stay true to their job and cautioned them that despite putting their best foot forward, not everything might work in their favour. When things don’t work out, be ready to move on and accept destiny, these were the words we said. It’s useless to sit and crib about what didn’t work,” she said.

Reportedly, both Rajashekar and Jeevitha advised their daughters to keep a backup option ready and have something to fall back on, if their careers don’t progress as per plan. “Shivani is a medicine student and is finding a way to balance time between her education and film commitments. We pushed them ahead also because they’re genuinely talented; the world has seen what they’re capable of, in Dorasani and Adbhutham and there’s a lot more to them - they are excellent dancers, sing, paint well and are good with musical instruments too,” says the proud mother.

The Janaki Ramudu actress initially thought that the industry would be enthusiastic about casting her daughters in their films because they’re the children of Rajashekar and Jeevitha - but it didn’t happen. “Some may have issues with us and others feared our interference with their careers. It’s a shock to me as well, they look good, and speak Telugu and Tamil fluently; I thought they would be flooded with offers. Perhaps, that’s destiny,” Jeevitha says with a philosophical bent.

Clearing the air about their help in establishing the careers of the daughters, Jeevitha mentions, “We’ve done nothing from our end; they make their own choices, face their share of struggles, listen to scripts, make an effort to talk to directors or producers. In terms of hereditary, there was no cushion or a push from our end. The only advantage is the respect they get from the industry because they’re our daughters.”

Shivani Rajashekar, who plays an extended cameo in Shekar, made her Tamil debut earlier this year with Anbarivu, which had Hiphop Tamizha playing the lead. Meanwhile, Shivathmika will be seen in Panchatantram and Krishna Vamsi’s Ranga Maarthaanda in Telugu while her film with Udayanidhi Stalin, Nenjuku Needhi, released in theatres on Friday.