Ashika Ranganath Recalls Her Fan-Girl Moment With Trisha on Vishwambhara Set: ‘She’s So Beautiful’

The actor also opens up about working with Karthi on Sardar 2, her admiration for Chiranjeevi and why she wants to take on more challenging roles across South Indian cinema.

Ashika Ranganath is gradually expanding her presence across South Indian cinema, moving beyond her Kannada roots to take on projects in Tamil and Telugu.

The actor is now looking forward to Sardar 2, the upcoming action spy thriller directed by PS Mithran and headlined by Karthi. For Ashika, the film represents a significant departure from several of the commercial entertainers she has previously worked on.

At the same time, her recently completed work on ** Vishwambhara ** gave her an opportunity to share the world of a major Telugu production led by megastar Chiranjeevi.

It was also on the Vishwambhara set that Ashika had a brief but memorable encounter with Trisha Krishnan—a moment she describes as a genuine fan-girl experience.

Ashika Ranganath on Why Sardar 2 Is Different

Ashika says Sardar 2 appealed to her because it takes her into a genre she has not explored extensively before.

The film belongs to the action-spy thriller space, bringing together large-scale action with a story-driven approach.

“I’m super excited because this is a very new genre for me. It’s the first time I’m trying something in this space, like an action spy thriller,” Ashika said while discussing the project.

The actor has previously appeared in commercial entertainers, but she sees Sardar 2 as an opportunity to work on a project where the characters and story carry significant weight.

She also believes the film offers her enough scope to explore something beyond a conventional supporting role.

A Role With Space to Make an Impact

While Sardar 2 has several prominent female characters, Ashika clarified that she does not share combination scenes with Malavika Mohanan or Rajisha Vijayan, whose portions are connected to different timelines.

Ashika’s character belongs to the film’s present-day storyline.

Her scenes are primarily with Karthi, along with some portions featuring SJ Suryah.

According to the actor, the film does not necessarily approach its characters through the traditional “hero” and “heroine” structure.

Instead, multiple important characters contribute to the larger narrative.

That approach was another aspect that attracted Ashika to the project.

What Ashika Ranganath Likes About Karthi

Sardar 2 marks Ashika’s first collaboration with Karthi.

She says what stood out most was his dedication to the craft and his attention to even the smallest details within a scene.

According to Ashika, Karthi is constantly thinking about how a scene or sequence can be improved.

She also admired the ease with which he works despite the level of perfection he expects from his performances.

For Ashika, that combination of preparation, passion and natural screen presence made working alongside him particularly valuable.

‘He’s So Grounded’

Ashika also praised Karthi away from the camera.

Despite his status as a major Tamil film star, she described him as humble and grounded.

His simplicity, she said, was one of the qualities that left the strongest impression on her.

For an actor who is increasingly working across multiple industries, observing established performers on set can also become an important learning experience.

Why Kannada Cinema Still Feels Like Home

Although Ashika is now working across Kannada, Tamil and Telugu cinema, she says Kannada cinema continues to hold a special place in her heart.

The reason is straightforward: it is where her career began and where she feels most comfortable.

Bengaluru remains closely connected to her personal and professional identity.

Ashika says she enjoys the familiarity of working in her own language and being able to return home after a day’s work.

She admits that she misses that sense of familiarity while spending more time working in Tamil and Telugu projects.

Why She Took Time to Explore Other Industries

Ashika says her transition into other South Indian film industries was not immediate because she was initially reluctant to leave her comfort zone.

During the first several years of her career, she was comfortable working in Bengaluru and did not feel an urgent need to move elsewhere.

Language was one factor, while unfamiliarity with the way other industries functioned was another.

Now, however, she sees working in different languages as a way to challenge herself creatively.

She also points out that her experience in Kannada is different from what she is currently encountering in Tamil and Telugu.

In Kannada, she says, she often receives leading roles and scripts specifically developed with her in mind. In the other industries, she is still establishing herself.

Rather than viewing that as a disadvantage, Ashika sees it as an opportunity to discover different sides of herself as an actor.

Ashika Ranganath’s Chiranjeevi Fan-Girl Moment

Another important experience came through Vishwambhara, the adventure-fantasy project featuring Chiranjeevi.

For Ashika, working with the veteran star was significant because she grew up watching his songs and dance sequences.

She says his presence and charisma made the experience particularly memorable.

Beyond the work itself, she enjoyed listening to Chiranjeevi’s stories and experiences from his long career.

For a younger actor, such interactions can offer an informal education in the evolution of the film industry and the demands of sustaining a career over several decades.

‘Trisha Is So Beautiful’

Ashika also had a brief opportunity to meet Trisha Krishnan, who is part of Vishwambhara.

Although the interaction was short, Ashika remembers being immediately impressed.

She described herself as being mesmerised by Trisha and singled out both her beauty and overall persona.

For Ashika, it was one of those unexpected moments on a film set when meeting another actor becomes memorable simply because of the admiration that already exists.

What’s Next for Ashika Ranganath?

Ashika is continuing to explore opportunities in multiple South Indian industries.

She says she is currently considering a couple of Kannada scripts while also working on two Telugu projects.

One of the Telugu projects is associated with SKN, the team behind Baby, while another is with Sithara Entertainments and features Sree Vishnu, according to the actor.

She is also receiving offers in Tamil but says she is becoming increasingly selective about the characters she wants to take on.

Rather than simply accepting another conventional role, Ashika wants projects that challenge her and introduce her to strong creative teams.

Why Ashika Wants More Challenging Roles

For Ashika, choosing her next project is increasingly about learning.

She wants to work with directors and technicians who can help her develop as a performer.

That is one reason she considers Sardar 2 an important project in her career.

The film gives her the chance to work in a new genre while collaborating with a team she believes can push her creatively.

Her current approach appears to be less about staying within a familiar space and more about deliberately seeking projects that allow her to experiment.

Ashika Ranganath’s Upcoming Work

A Career Moving Beyond One Industry

Ashika Ranganath’s career is entering an interesting phase.

She has already established herself in Kannada cinema, where she feels most at home, but her current projects are taking her into different languages, genres and working environments.

Sardar 2 offers an action-spy thriller experience with Karthi, while Vishwambhara placed her alongside major Telugu cinema names such as Chiranjeevi and Trisha.

Her comments suggest that this cross-industry journey is not simply about expanding her filmography. It is also about learning from different filmmakers, performers and storytelling traditions.

And for Ashika, that may ultimately be the most important part of the journey: using every new project to become a more versatile actor.