I'm a huge fan of Dhanush: Raashi Khanna on sharing screen space with The Gray Man actor in Thiruchitrambalam

Raashi Khanna has no qualms admitting that she likes to dress up. But she also loves to act. "Both happened in Thiruchitrambalam," she laughs. The Imaikkaa Nodigal actor established her name in the Telugu industry pretty well, although she's warming up to Tamil cinema. "Good roles are rarely being written for heroines, especially in commercial films. We aren't given the space to perform. But I was quite happy with Thiruchitrambalam," she says.

This is Raashi's first collaboration with Dhanush. "I've always been a fan of his work and a huge admirer of his talent. But after working with him, I've grown to admire him," she smiles.

Raashi has never met anyone as dedicated to the craft of acting as Dhanush. "He's a brilliant actor, and I like how he shows varied emotions in front of the camera spontaneously."

Raashi is not, however, the only female actor in the film. She co-stars with two other talented women: Nithya Menen and Priya Bhavani Shankar. "Thiruchitrambalam has a wonderful star cast, and the film is a complete package. I met Nithya while filming Megham Karukathe's song. She is a wonderful artiste. Although I didn't have scenes with Priya, I heard her performance also fetched excellent reviews."

She says the cast and crew of Thiruchitrambalam are now like family to her. "I was humbled by the warmth and love shown to me. My co-stars, director, and even the technicians made sure I left the sets each day in a happy space. I’m grateful to them all for their support," adds Raashi.

On the trend of pan-Indian films, she says, "I think there is nothing called South Indian industry and Bollywood industry. Everybody is making a pan India film. Now you have OTT, web shows, and so many platforms to showcase your talent. Even if you are not coming to OTT, you can open your own YouTube channel and showcase your talent. So the industry is more welcoming I would say but challenges are always there for newcomers."

Thiruchitrambalam is produced by Kalanathi Maran under the Sun Pictures banner. The film also stars Bharathiraja, Prakash Raj, and Munishkanth in pivotal roles. Dhanush plays a food delivery executive in the film, while Bharathiraja essays his granddad.